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Expos and Padres Battle Through Thrilling Three-Game Series
Montreal Expos vs. San Diego Padres - Thursday, May 16, 2024
In the opening game of the series, the Montreal Expos jumped to an early lead, but the San Diego Padres mounted a dramatic comeback to win 8-3. Montreal's Omar Vizquel and Elmer Smith were instrumental in putting the Expos ahead, with Vizquel scoring two runs and Smith driving in two with a third-inning double.
The Padres were quiet through the first four innings but began their surge in the fifth. Frank Chance doubled and later scored on Joe Foy's triple, which was followed by a single from Lenny Dykstra to bring Foy home, cutting the Expos' lead to 3-2.
The game turned decisively in the seventh inning when the Padres exploded for six runs. Goose Goslin tripled to bring in two runs, and Ivan Rodriguez followed with a two-run homer, giving the Padres a 6-3 lead. Wes Covington and Andy Van Slyke also contributed with hits that brought runners home, cementing the lead.
Key Performances:
- Goose Goslin: 2-for-4, triple, 2 RBIs, 1 run scored
- Ivan Rodriguez: 1-for-4, home run, 2 RBIs, 1 run scored
- Lenny Dykstra: 3-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 run scored
- Frank Chance: 2-for-4, double, 1 run scored
Padres pitcher Joaquin Andujar pitched six solid innings, giving up three runs on eight hits while striking out three. Jim Clancy and Trevor Hoffman closed the game without allowing any additional runs.
Montreal Expos vs. San Diego Padres - Friday, May 17, 2024
The second game of the series saw the Expos even the score with a thrilling 4-3 victory. Montreal's pitching was led by Johnny Antonelli, who delivered a strong performance with seven innings pitched, allowing nine hits and three runs while striking out seven.
The Expos got on the board early with a solo home run by Brett Boone in the first inning. However, the Padres quickly responded, with Lenny Dykstra and Jim Sundberg each driving in runs in the first two innings to give San Diego a 2-1 lead.
San Diego extended their lead to 3-1 in the sixth inning with an RBI double by Andy Van Slyke. The Expos, however, staged a dramatic comeback in the eighth inning. Earl Smith hit a two-run homer to tie the game at 3-3. With Smith's blast rejuvenating the Expos, Brett Boone walked and Bernie Williams singled to set up the go-ahead run. Omar Vizquel's fielder's choice allowed Williams to score the deciding run.
Key Performances:
- Earl Smith: 2-for-4, home run, 3 RBIs, 1 run scored
- Brett Boone: 1-for-3, home run, 1 RBI, 1 run scored, 1 walk
- Johnny Antonelli: 7 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 7 K
- Rod Carew: 2-for-3, 1 run scored, 1 walk
Jose Deleon and Ray Washburn combined to shut down the Padres in the final two innings, with Washburn securing the save.
Montreal Expos vs. San Diego Padres - Saturday, May 18, 2024
Game 3: Expos 2, Padres 0 (10 innings)
The series finale was a pitching masterpiece that went into extra innings. Montreal's Lew Burdette and San Diego's Bob Lemon were both outstanding, keeping the game scoreless through nine innings. Burdette pitched six innings, allowing only four hits and striking out four, while Lemon pitched seven innings of one-hit baseball, striking out two.
In the top of the 10th inning, the Expos finally broke through. Earl Smith started on second base as per the extra-innings rule and advanced to third on Brett Boone's ground out. Bernie Williams then struck out, but Lennie Pearson walked, setting the stage for Don Buford. Buford singled to left field, driving in Smith for the first run. Buford later scored on a single by Denny Walling, providing the Expos with a crucial insurance run.
Key Performances:
- Earl Smith: 1-for-4, 1 run scored
- Don Buford: 1-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 run scored
- Lew Burdette: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 4 K
- Ron Reed: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K, Save
Ron Reed and Jim Kaat held the Padres scoreless in the bottom of the 10th, securing a hard-fought 2-0 victory for the Expos and a series win.
Series MVP: Ivan Rodriguez
Despite the Padres losing the series, Ivan Rodriguez stood out with his consistent and impactful performances at the plate. His contributions included key hits that kept the Padres in contention throughout the series.
Series Stats for Ivan Rodriguez:
- Batting Average: .500 (6-for-12)
- Home Runs: 1
- Runs Batted In: 2
- Runs Scored: 1
- Doubles: 2
- On-Base Percentage: .538
- Slugging Percentage: .917
Rodriguez's steady presence and timely hitting provided a significant boost for the Padres, even as they fell short in the series.
