Expos take 2 of 3 from Cubbies @ Wrigley

8/24 - 8/26 - Wrigley Field - Chicago, IL
GAME 1 - Cubs 5, Expos 3
Montreal came roaring out of the gate with 3 quick runs and the focus to beat up on an aged Kenny Holtzman.  The Rock, Tim Raines led the game off with a homer and The Hawk, Andre Dawson hit a 2 run shot in the 3rd, but that was it for the 'Spos.  Holtzman was able to turn the clock back a decade and pitch like it was the summer of '69, not '79.  Dave Kingman hit a mammoth shot off of Expo starter Bill Gullickson to make it 3-1.  The following inning the Cubbies unloaded on Gullickson to the tune of 4 runs and never looked back.  Tim Wallach and his 2 errors were equally to blame along with Gullickson's pitch selection.  Nothing the Cubs hit that inning was soft.  Ivan DeJesus had a huge bases clearing triple.  He later scored on Wallach's second error.  Holtzman posted goose eggs the rest of the way, until he gave way to Bruce Sutter who closed out the 9th for his second save of the campaign.

GAME 2 - Expos 5, Cubs 4
Great matchup between Steve Rogers (1-2, 2.97) and Lynn McGlothen.  Both teams exchanged solo runs in the 2nd.  Montreal got theirs via a leadoff homer by yesterday's goat, Tim Wallach.  The Cubbies played small ball and got a sac fly from their pitcher.  Both pitchers would not allow another run until the 7th.  Gary Carter led off the top of the inning with a double.  He moved over to third on a ground out by Warren Cromartie.  Doug Flynn caught the defense napping an laid down a perfect Sac bunt to score Carter to make it 2-1 'Spos.  Rogers got 2 quick outs in the bottom of the inning, but yielded a seemingly harmless single to Steve Ontiveros.  That single was harmless until pinch hitter Bobby Murcer parked on into the bleachers to make it 3-2.  Chicago's lead would not last long as Cromartie singled home Andre Dawson to re-tie the game.  Bruce Sutter was on board and his splitter just wasn't fooling anyone.  He did manage to get the first 2 outs in the 9th, but Tim Raines singled and promptly stole both 2nd and 3rd before Brian Little walked.  Al Oliver  fought back from an 0-2 count to single home Raines.  Dawson did the same to knock in Little and give Montreal a 5-3 lead.  With closer Jeff Reardon ready to go Steve Rogers surprisingly came out to start the 9th. With 1 out pinch hitter Larry Biittner tripled off the ivy and scored on Ivan DeJesus' ground out to short.  With Bill Buckner on deck Rogers knew that Steve Dillard was the last batter he was going to face.  Rogers reared back and found some octane left in his empty tank to fan Dillard for the complete game victory.

GAME 3 - Expos 3, Cubs 0
The operative word here is 3.  It was the 3rd game of the series...The Expos needed 3 pitchers to get the shutout and it took 3 runs to give those pitchers a sense of security...oh and he hitting star of the game, Terry Francona went 3 for 4 with 2 RBI's.  The power of 3's was the theme of the day.  It would have all tied in neatly if they scored those runs in the 3rd inning, but this isn't Hollywood.  Montreal score 2 in the 2nd inning when Carter led off with a single and Francona, making a rare start in right, homered to right off of Cub starter Mike Krukow.  Expo  starter Charlie Lea was cruising until his shoulder went on him in the 3rd inning (3 again).  He was immediately removed from the game and sent home to Montreal for further examination.  Ray Burris was the star of the game going the next 5 2/3 innings and fanning 5 and not allowing a run until he gave way to Reardon who got the final out.