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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
SAN DIEGO -- If Jay Witasick sticks to schedule, his next
hit should come in 2010.
Witasick hit two run-scoring singles -- his first two big league
hits and RBI -- to help himself to his first National League victory as the San
Diego Padres beat the Montreal Expos 5-4 Sunday.
His last hit came in his one and only at-bat during his senior
year of high school in 1990. "A home run, dead center. My high
school coach will verify it," Witasick said.
There was no need for verifying his hits Sunday. Both came with
two outs, following intentional walks to Wiki Gonzalez. His second
single capped the four-run third, in which only one run was earned
because of first baseman Lee Stevens' error.
Actually, now that he's in the NL, Witasick probably will pick
up his hitting pace a little bit.
"It's just an incredible feeling to know you're able to help
this team with the bat," said Witasick, who spent his first 4½ seasons in the American League and came into this game 0-for-16 in his career.
"That's a whole new aspect of the game I have to learn. It's one
of those things where you have to get it done because it could cost
you the ballgame."
Witasick's first hit was a liner to right that fell in front of
Vladimir Guerrero. Guerrero thought he might have a play at first,
but Stevens didn't cover the bag, irritating Guerrero.
"Somebody told me, if you go to right field, happen to punch it
through the hole, be careful because he can throw you out at first
base," Witasick said. "I had that feeling like, 'Hey, this might
be a snap throw right here, I better get down the line.' And I kind
of stumbled out of the box."
Expos manager Felipe Alou wasn't thrilled that Witasick got his
first two hits off his staff.
"We've got to make better pitches there," Alou said.
Witasick was pulled after allowing Jose Vidro's two-run homer in
the seventh that pulled the Expos to 5-4. Vidro, who went 3-for-4,
homered for the second consecutive game and has 20 on the season.
Witasick (1-1) pitched 6 1/3 innings, allowing four runs, three
earned, and 10 hits while striking out seven and walking two.
Witasick had a blister on his middle finger that developed
sometime after his last start.
"I'm just glad it didn't get any more irritated as the game
went along," he said.
Trevor Hoffman pitched 1 1/3 innings for his 33rd save in 39th
opportunities. He came on with a runner on first and two outs in
the eighth and struck out Fernando Seguignol.
The Expos have lost nine of 10.
Montreal took a 1-0 lead in the second on Brian Schneider's run-scoring double and the Padres tied it in the bottom of the inning when
Witasick hit an opposite-filed single to right with two outs to
score Bret Boone, aboard on a leadoff single.
The Padres scored four runs on four hits and an error in the
third. With runners on first and second and one out, Stevens let
Boone's grounder roll under his glove for an error, allowing Ryan
Klesko to score from second. John Mabry hit a run-scoring double, Ruben
Rivera had an RBI groundout and after Gonzalez again was
intentionally walked, Witasick singled to center to score Mabry.
"The biggest play was the groundball that eluded Stevens,"
Alou said. "That was play of the game."
Stevens claimed he had no chance on the ball.
"It moved a couple of times and it just took off. There wasn't
much I could do about it."
Expos starter Felipe Lira (3-3) lasted just three innings,
allowing five runs, two earned, on six hits while walking three. He
was making just his second start of the year, taking Mike Johnson's
place in the rotation.
Game notes
Vidro tied Mike Lansing's 1997 club record for most homers
by a second baseman. ... The Padres finished 5-4 against the Expos,
just the second time in 11 seasons they've won the season series.
... Lira went longer in his last appearance, four innings of relief
against San Francisco on Tuesday night, than he did in his start Sunday. He also lost against San Francisco.
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