Forgot Log-in or  Password? |  Help  Not a member, Register Now!

Montreal at Toronto

Scoreboard
Montreal «350100000980
Toronto001300000490
Expos 9, Blue Jays 4
 

  •  

TORONTO -- Tony Batista played his best game of the year in what might been Montreal's last game in Toronto.

Batista homered and tied a career high with five RBI against his former team, leading the Expos to a 9-4 victory over the Blue Jays on Sunday.

The Expos are expected to move after this season, although major league baseball is pushing back its decision on where to relocate them until after the All-Star break.

The two teams don't meet again in Canada this season, though they play each other in Puerto Rico next weekend.

Batista entered the game in a 9-for-79 slump.

"I knew it was going to come," said Batista, who went 3-for-5, raising his average to .217. "By the end of the season the numbers are going to be right there."

Brad Wilkerson also homered for the Expos, who salvaged the last game of the three-game series. Montreal (25-48) has the worst record in the majors.

"We don't know anything about where we are going to go. We're just waiting," Batista said.

Staked to an 8-0 lead in the second, Livan Hernandez (5-7) allowed four runs and nine hits in seven innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

Toronto starter Pat Hentgen (2-8) has lost a career-high six straight decisions. Hentgen allowed six runs on three hits and five walks in a season-low 1 2/3 innings -- raising his ERA to 6.42.

"I pitched poorly," Hentgen said. "I didn't keep us in the game."

Toronto manager Carlos Tosca said the team won't move Hentgen to the bullpen.

"He's going to have to pick up some arm speed and some velocity, either that or really be able to locate his pitches," Tosca said. "He just doesn't have any command of his pitches right now."

The 35-year-old right-hander, who hasn't won since May 10 at Kansas City, walked four of his first five batters.

Wilkerson, Orlando Cabrera and Jose Vidro led off the game with walks before Nick Johnson hit a sacrifice fly. Batista later added a two-run single.

Montreal scored five runs in the second, when Wilkerson hit a two-run homer off Hentgen, and Batista a three-run shot off Micheal Nakamura.

Toronto's Reed Johnson hit an RBI single in the third, but Nick Johnson had a run-scoring groundout in the fourth.

Alex Rios' RBI double and Orlando Hudson's two-run double cut Montreal's lead to 9-4.

Notes

Vidro extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the fourth. ... The Blue Jays are missing their top three hitters: first baseman Carlos Delgado, center fielder Vernon Wells and left fielder Frank Catalanotto. ... The Expos lost their previous five road games. ... Attendance was 25,915.


AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2004, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
 
 
 
Players of the Game
Montreal

T. Batista
AB 5
R 1
H 3
HR 1
RBI 5
Toronto

A. Rios
AB 3
R 2
H 2
HR 0
RBI 1
 
Montreal Expos
Brad Wilkerson, CF4212112 .239
Orlando Cabrera, SS2200300 .238
Jose Vidro, 2B4110122 .276
Nick Johnson, 1B3112110 .290
Carl Everett, DH3100102 .263
Tony Batista, 3B5135010 .217
Brian Schneider, C5000012 .251
Juan Rivera, RF5000022 .240
Terrmel Sledge, LF3120100 .261
Totals349898810 
Batting
2B - Nick Johnson (9, Adams), Terrmel Sledge (5, Adams)
HR - Brad Wilkerson (13, Hentgen), Tony Batista (9, Nakamura)
SF - Nick Johnson (1)
RBI - Brad Wilkerson 2 (31), Nick Johnson 2 (12), Tony Batista 5 (31)
2-OUT RBI - Tony Batista 3 (16)
SB - Terrmel Sledge (2, 2nd base off Peterson/Zaun)
Team LOB - 8
Montreal Expos
Livan Hernandez (W,5-7) 7944270 3.47
Luis Ayala 0.2000010 3.62
Joe Horgan 1.1000000 5.40
HBP - Zaun (by Livan Hernandez), Menechino (by Livan Hernandez)
Pitches-Strikes - Livan Hernandez 141-79, Luis Ayala 7-5, Joe Horgan 15-9
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Livan Hernandez 6-8, Luis Ayala 1-0, Joe Horgan 2-2
Batters Faced - Livan Hernandez 34, Luis Ayala 2, Joe Horgan 4
Toronto Blue Jays
Howie Clark, 1B3120101 .242
   a- Chris Gomez, PH-1B1000000 .250
Orlando Hudson, 2B5012002 .284
Reed Johnson, CF5011023 .286
Eric Hinske, 3B5000024 .237
Gregg Zaun, C3000010 .307
Dave Berg, LF4010013 .234
Frank Menechino, DH3120001 .261
Chris Woodward, SS4000023 .271
Alexis Rios, RF3221100 .248
Totals364942817 
a-flied out for Clark in the 8th
Batting
2B - Orlando Hudson (13, Hernandez), Frank Menechino (6, Hernandez), Alexis Rios 2 (7, Hernandez, Hernandez)
RBI - Orlando Hudson 2 (31), Reed Johnson (40), Alexis Rios (2)
Team LOB - 9
Toronto Blue Jays
Pat Hentgen (L,2-8) 1.2366501 6.42
Mike Nakamura 2.1333121 8.27
Adam Peterson 1000220 16.20
Kerry Ligtenberg 1000020 5.04
Terry Adams 2200010 4.21
Justin Speier 1000010 5.60
HBP - Everett (by Mike Nakamura)
Pitches-Strikes - Pat Hentgen 40-18, Mike Nakamura 45-30, Adam Peterson 25-12, Kerry Ligtenberg 12-9, Terry Adams 30-20, Justin Speier 15-9
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Pat Hentgen 2-3, Mike Nakamura 2-3, Adam Peterson 1-0, Kerry Ligtenberg 1-0, Terry Adams 4-1
Batters Faced - Pat Hentgen 13, Mike Nakamura 12, Adam Peterson 5, Kerry Ligtenberg 3, Terry Adams 8, Justin Speier 3
Game Information
Attendance - 25915
Game Time - 2:46
Temperature - 70
Umpires - Home - Hunter Wendelstedt, First Base - Mike Winters, Second Base - Tim Timmons, Third Base - Bruce Froemming
Other Games
Pitt 14 Final
Cin 4
Colo 3 Final
Cle 5
NYM 1 Final
NYY 8
NYM 6 Final
NYY 11
Fla 11 Final
TB 4
Ariz 5 Final
Det 9
Atl 8 Final
Balt 7
Hou 1 Final
Tex 0
Phi 3 Final
Bos 12
StL 10 Final
KC 3
Mil 7 Final
Min 3
CHC 4 Final
CHW 9
SD 5 Final
Sea 1
SF 5 Final
Oak 2
Ana 5 Final
LA 10