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Message #: 16504
Message from: Steve Bivens
Sent: Oct 11, 2007
Subject: NLCS Reds at Expos

After splitting the first two games at Riverfront the teams traveled northeast to Olympic Stadium in Montreal

Game 3

Bruce Berenyi and Vern Ruhle faced off for this one. The Expos wasted no time in getting to Berenyi in the bottom of the 1^st as Tim Raines singled, stole second and went to third on Stearns throwing error. Manny Trillo then singled home Raines for a 1-0 Expo lead before the seats were warm. The Expos added a walk and a single by Baines but Trillo was gunned at the plate by Brett Butler and Berenyi escaped down only 1-0.

In the bottom of the third Schmidt led off the inning with a single. One out later Baines lofted a ball to right the Ken Griffey dropped allowing Schmidt to score. It was 2-0 Expos after 3 innings.

Meanwhile, after allowing lead-off singles in both the first and second innings Vern Ruhle was very stingy and he settled down to cruise through the seventh inning on a 3-hitter.

In the Expo sixth with Milt Wilcox on the mound and after two were out Trillo singled and Schmidt walked. Dawson then came up and rifled a single to left that Von Hayes let skip under his glove allowing both runners to score. It was 4-0 Expos after seven and considering the Reds generous defensive play and the way Ruhle was pitching it looked like this one was in the bank.

NOT.

In the top of the Cincinnati eighth Driessen grounded out but Concepcion reached first on a rare bobble by Trillo. Dave Collins was up next as a pinch-hitter and he banged a single to center. Manager Bivens went to the mound with a quick hook and decided to play the percentages with Fryman pitching to Butler . Manager Boodman countered with Hubie Brooks who flew to center. Ron Oester however came through with the two-out hit and the Reds were finally on the board. Jeff Reardon was called in to wrap this one up and he got Griffey on a ground ball.

After the Expos went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning the Reds made trouble in the ninth. After Von Hayes struck out Knight singled, Stearns walked and Driessen singled and the bases were loaded with one out. After a visit to the mound Reardon reached deep to strike out Concepcion for the 2^nd out. Bob Bailor came in to bat in the ninth spot and he worked Reardon for a walk scoring Oester. It was 4-2 Expos, the bases remain loaded, and up to the plate walked Cesar Cedeno who had taken Butler ’s place in centerfield. A sold out crowd at Olympic Stadium were all on their feet screaming as the perspiring Reardon struck out Cedeno to save the Expo 4-2 victory. Considering the three Red errors, two by outfielders, Manager Boodman had to feel that this was a game that the Reds may have given away on the cheap.

Cincinnati

Game 4

Game one pitchers Tom Seaver and Bill Gullickson returned to face off in game 4. Neither pitcher had fared particularly well in game one, but Seaver came away with the win after the Reds rallied back from a 4-0 deficit.

Sending a message that the Reds were ready for this one, Brett Butler (.353 in the series) doubled leading off the game and scored on Oester’s single. Gullickson escaped from further damage when Griffey hit into a double play.

Tom Seaver came out in the bottom of the first and immediately gave back the lead when Raines singled, stole second and scored when Manny Trillo smoked a Seaver fastball over the fence in left-center for a two-run shot. The Expos then added a run after a single and three straight Expo walks, the last to DeJesus for the RBI. Seaver escaped without further damage. But would this exertion prove costly? 3-1 Expos.

In the top of the second the Reds stormed right back on a lead off Ray Knight double and a Driessen sac fly. 3-2 Expos.

Seaver pitched a perfect second inning, but in the bottom of the third the Expos strung together a single and two more walks. With the bases loaded DeJesus hit a sac fly and the Expos extended their lead to 4-2. Seaver struck out the side in the fourth, but was hit for in the top of the fifth and he was done with a very shaky 5 innings 4 runs on 3 hits and 6 walks.

The Expos took their 4-2 lead into the top of the eighth. Gullickson after his shaky start had settled down and found a nice groove. However, he was betrayed by the Expo defense in the top of the eighth when with one out Baines inexplicably dropped a Butler fly ball for a 3-base error and DeJesus followed this up by booting Oester’s groundball allowing Butler to score. After getting Griffey to ground out, Von Hayes came through with a clutch single driving home Oester. Ray Knight was up next and he drew a walk. With the pitcher up next due to a Cincinnati double switch in the seventh, Bob Bailor was brought in to face reliever John Henry Johnson. Johnson was up to the task and he retired Bailor but the Reds had tied the game at 4-4.

Tom Hume was the Red reliever asked to keep the game tied. But he was immediately greeted by a Walling single and DeJesus bunted him over to second base. Terry Crowley stepped up to hit for Johnson and hit a fly ball of the top of the wall in centerfield to score Wallach. After a Rick Miller fly out, Manny Trillo knocked in an insurance run with a two-out single for a 6-4 Expo lead. It turned out to be a big run.

Jeff Reardon was brought in to get the last three outs. Driessen hit the first pitch out of the yard and the Expo lead was now cut to 6-5. Concepcion grounded out, but Bo Diaz slammed a double into the left field gap and the Reds had the tying run on second base. Reardon then buckled down to get Butler to ground out and ended the game by striking out Oester. It was finally over and the Expos win game four 6 to 5 and advance to their first World Series after failing in six previous National League Championship Series’. Kudos to the Red Dynasty that had beaten the Expos in two previous NLCS thus making this victory just a little sweeter.

Bring on the Athletics! Drew email me off list at sgbivens@... to arrange the WS. Alan has agreed to host IRC if that is our choice.

Thanks!


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