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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CINCINNATI -- The Montreal Expos could use someone like
Osvaldo Fernandez right about now.
Two years removed from reconstructive elbow surgery, Fernandez
is pitching better than ever just when the Cincinnati Reds need him
most. He retired the last 19 batters he faced Tuesday night,
setting up a 4-2 victory over the Montreal Expos.
Fernandez (2-0) allowed only two hits and didn't walk a batter
in seven innings before leaving for a pinch hitter. Only four of
the 23 batters he faced got the ball out of the infield -- five
struck out and 14 grounded out.
"That guy pitched well," Expos manager Felipe Alou said.
"He's really recovered from that arm problem he had. He's like a
new pitcher. He's better now than when he first came over from
Cuba. Whatever the doctor fixed, you've got to keep an eye on."
The Reds called up Fernandez on May 13 to fill in for Pete
Harnisch, disabled by a weak shoulder. The loss of Harnisch seemed
at first to be a major setback; Fernandez has turned it into no
problem at all by leading the Reds to win in all four of his
starts.
"I'm getting into my rhythm," Fernandez said through teammate
Alex Ochoa, doubling as a translator. "I'm throwing a lot of
pitches for strikes, getting ahead of batters and throwing the
pitches where I want to."
The Expos lost their sixth in a row, their worst slump since a
seven-game slide last May 10-17. They also lost another pitcher
before the game, when an MRI found that Hideki Irabu has torn knee
cartilage.
That leaves the Expos down to three starters and no one like
Fernandez waiting in the wings.
"We're going to hit and play defense and all that," Alou said.
"We've got three starters and we play seven games in a week.
That's where the headache is."
The main problems Tuesday were a puny offense and another costly
defensive lapse.
Second baseman Jose Vidro made an errant throw to second trying
to get a forceout, letting Ken Griffey Jr. score for a 2-1 lead
with one out in the seventh. Aaron Boone followed with an RBI
single off Tony Armas (0-3), who allowed only four hits in 6 1-3
innings.
The game-turning error was familiar to the Expos. Third baseman
Andy Tracy dropped a fly to set up a 4-3 loss in San Diego on
Sunday.
"It all comes down to that one play at second base," Alou
said.
The Expos also lapsed into their recent habit of scoring early
and then not at all. They've scored nine runs in the first innings
of their last seven games, only four the rest of the way.
Rondell White doubled with two outs in the first and Vladimir
Guerrero followed with a single for a 1-0 lead. Fernandez then
retired the next 19 in a row before leaving for a pinch hitter in
the seventh.
Scott Williamson pitched a perfect eighth, making it 22 Expos
down in order, before giving up a hit and a walk and allowing a run
to score on a wild pitch.
Williamson struck out White and Guerrero on high fastballs, then
got Lee Stevens to foul out with runners at second and third. It
was Williamson's sixth save in seven chances.
The Reds got only two hits in the first six innings off Armas.
Benito Santiago tied the score 1-1 in the third with his second
homer, only the second that Armas has allowed in five career
starts.
Armas is accustomed to pitching without much support. The Expos
have scored only seven runs in his four starts this season.
Griffey went 0-for-3, leaving him in a 4-for-36 slump, but
walked leading off the seventh to start the go-ahead rally. He took
second on Dmitri Young's one-out single and came around when Vidro
fielded Sean Casey's grounder to the hole at second and tried to
pivot and get the force at second, but threw off target for only
his second error of the season.
Michael Tucker added a solo homer in the eighth off Jim Poole.
Game
notes
SS Orlando Cabrera was back in Montreal's starting lineup
Tuesday. He missed a weekend series in San Diego due to the death
of his father, Jolbert. ... Reliever Mike Johnson (0-0) will start
in Irabu's place Wednesday. Johnson has made nine relief
appearances this season, but started 14 games for the Expos over
the last three years. ... Harnisch resumed playing catch Tuesday.
If all goes well, he could begin throwing off a mound again in
10-14 days. ... Backup shortstop Juan Castro agreed to a two-year
extension for $400,000 per year.
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Baseball Scoreboard
Montreal Clubhouse
Cincinnati Clubhouse
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