Guerrero makes Schilling pay for rare mistake as Expos win, 2-1
Published 12:00 am Friday, August 2, 2002
Curt Schilling challenged Vladimir Guerrero one time too many.
Guerrero hit his second game-ending homer of the series against Arizona, connecting with one out in the ninth inning off Schilling to give Montreal a 2-1 victory Thursday night.
After going hitless in his first three at-bats, Guerrero sent Schilling's first pitch over the left-field wall for his 28th homer of the season.
''He always challenges me and throws me balls around the strike zone,'' Guerrero said through an interpreter. ''The first three at-bats, I missed that same pitch. I went in looking for it, got it, and made contact for us to win it.''
Guerrero also hit a game-winning homer in the 10th inning off reliever Byung-Hyun Kim to win the series opener Tuesday.
Schilling (18-4) had his six-game winning streak snapped, losing to an NL opponent for just the second time this season. He allowed seven hits and two runs in 8 1-3 innings in his fourth complete game of the season.
''It's not about pitching well,'' he said. ''It's about winning or losing and I didn't pitch well enough to win.''
Tomo Ohka allowed one run and six hits in a season-high eight innings, and Joey Eischen (3-1) allowed one hit in the ninth for the win.
''It was an excellent game by Ohka -- it had to be,'' Expos manager Frank Robinson said. ''We played good defense and that's the combination you have to have against a Curt Schilling out there on the mound because he's not going to give up too much, and Ohka matched him out there.''
Arizona's David Dellucci homered off Ohka leading off the seventh to tie the game at 1.
Andres Galarraga, who entered the game with just four hits in 46 career at-bats against Schilling, hit an RBI single in the second.
Braves 4, Brewers 0
Greg Maddux pitched six innings for his 268th career win, tying Hall of Famer Jim Palmer for 30th most ever, as Atlanta completed a three-game sweep at Turner Field.
Maddux (11-3) allowed five hits and lowered his NL-leading ERA to 2.45.
Atlanta's Chipper Jones and Gary Sheffield had hits against Glendon Rusch (5-11) in a three-run fourth inning.
Marlins 4, Cardinals 0
A.J. Burnett (11-7) pitched a four-hitter for his major league-leading fourth shutout to carry Florida.
The Cardinals' lone highlight was a triple play in the sixth inning. It was their first triple play in more than nine years.
Chuck Finley (2-1) lost for the first time with the Cardinals, giving up two earned runs in seven innings.
Astros 3, Mets 1
Roy Oswalt kept his cool on a steamy evening at Shea Stadium, and Houston won for the sixth time in seven games.
After the teams swapped lopsided victories the previous two days, Oswalt (12-6) and Pedro Astacio (10-4) put the emphasis back on pitching.
The Mets lost a series for the first time since the All-Star break, having won four and split two.
Phillies 2, Giants 1
Randy Wolf (7-7) pitched seven strong innings and Philadelphia scored two runs on a pair of fielder's choices in the seventh inning to beat visiting San Francisco.
Barry Bonds was out of the Giants' lineup, but grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning.
Russ Ortiz (7-8) pitched a six-hitter in the loss.
Rockies 3, Pirates 0
Jason Jennings held the Pirates hitless for 6 2-3 innings, the longest such stretch in team history, and Colorado salvaged the final game of the three-game series at Pittsburgh.
Jennings (11-5) allowed one hit in seven innings and helped end the Rockies' season-long eight-game losing streak.
The Pirates were shut out for the fourth time in seven games and the 11th time this season.
Cubs 8, Padres 7
Alex Gonzalez hit a two-run, two-out double off Trevor Hoffman in the ninth inning to rally the Cubs at home.
Hoffman (1-3) was one out from tying Rollie Fingers for sixth on the career saves list at 341, but instead blew a save for only the second time in 27 chances this season.
Tom Gordon (1-1) got his first victory since May 6, 2001, against Los Angeles. The Associated Press