MONTREAL -- Gary Carter called plenty of standout pitching performances at Olympic Stadium during his playing years. Tonight, he got to watch one.
Javier Vazquez fanned 11 to pass 1,000 career strikeouts, and also hit a two-run single to lead the Montreal Expos over the Milwaukee Brewers 7-1 Saturday.
With a crowd of 22,280 on hand as the Expos honored their Hall of Fame catcher, Vazquez (9-7) allowed only an unearned run in his second complete game of the season.
"When we see a lot of fans here, we get pumped," Vazquez said. "Today was Gary Carter's day, so I'm glad we could get a win for all the fans here and for him."
Vazquez scattered eight hits and walked none. He reached double digits in strikeouts for the sixth time in 24 starts this year and raised his season total to 171, second in the NL to Chicago's Kerry Wood.
"He had good stuff from the beginning and he got ahead of hitters and finished them off," Expos manager Frank Robinson said. "He made them swing the bat and that's what he can do. I think that's the first ballgame we've given him any offense to amount to anything."
Vazquez finished the game with 1,006 career strikeouts.
Wil Cordero hit his 12th homer to key a five-run fourth as Montreal won its third straight. Cordero connected for a two-run shot off 30-year-old rookie David Manning (0-1).
Vazquez retired nine of 10 batters to begin the game. He struck out Eric Young to end the third for his milestone strikeout, and was given an ovation when the feat was announced on the scoreboard.
"It was a great feeling," said Vazquez, a veteran of six seasons with Montreal. "I've come a long way since '98."
Endy Chavez hit a two-run triple in the fourth, scoring an unearned run when shortstop Royce Clayton threw wildly past third for an error to put Montreal up 7-0.
Young reached on third baseman Jamey Carroll's error to lead off the Milwaukee sixth. He advanced to second on Scott Podsednik's single and scored on Geoff Jenkins' single.
Manning became the oldest pitcher to debut in the majors as a starter in five years, allowing seven runs - six earned - and four hits in four innings.
"Even though I lost, I wouldn't trade it for the world," said Manning, who began his professional career in 1992 and did not play in 2001.
Masato Yoshii was two weeks shy of his 33rd birthday when he debuted with the New York Mets on April 5, 1998.
Vazquez opened the scoring with a two-run single in the second.
Notes
Brewers 3B Wes Helms missed his second straight start. He flied out to deep center as a pinch-hitter in the seventh. ... Expos 2B Jose Vidro was a late scratch because of inflammation in the patellar tendon in his right knee. Vidro had started four straight games since missing five of six starts with a strained right knee. ... Vazquez has reached double digits in strikeouts 17 times in his career.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2003, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved



