Amazin’s take 2 of 3 from ‘Spos at Shea

9/15 - 9/17 - Shea Stadium
GAME 1 - Mets 4, Expos 2
Once again Kooz just can't get a break.  He fans 9 Expos in 7 innings of work, but he leaves the game on the short side of the ledger thanks to a some faulty defense.  Still he gives up only 2 runs (1 earned) and he's behind the 8 ball until "Trusty" Rusty came to the rescue with a 3 run shot in the bottom of the 8th.  After Jerry Grote singled and Dave Kingman doubled, Rusty Staub launched one off the big scoreboard in right center denting the Manufacturers Hanover sign.  Skip Lockwood (2-1, 1.17) got the win in relief and Bob Apodaca notched his 3rd save.  In a losing effort Tim Raines stole 3 bases to increase his league leading amount to 25.

GAME 2 - Expos 8, Mets 6
Montreal staked Ray Burris (2-1, 1.84) to a 6-2 lead.  Randy Lerch got generous in relief and almost surrendered the lead back to the Mets who found their longball stroke.  Staub hit his 2nd homer in two days along with Dave Kingman who drilled his 9th.  The Rock, Tim Raines can clobber the ball as well as he can pilfer bases.  Raines hit his 3rd of the season as did Warren Cromartie.  After Lerch surrendered 3 runs to the Mets in the bottom of the 9th, Jeff Reardon was summoned to put out the fire.  Reardon got the final 2 outs and saved his league leading 7th game of the season.  Montreal and New York combined to bang out 26 hits in this offensive contest.

GAME 3 - Mets 6, Expos 1
For a long time it looked like Tom Seaver (6-2, 1.75) would have to be perfect, since his Amazin's just couldn't seem to post any runs.  Then in the 5th inning New York broke the scoreless stalemate when Seaver himself reached first on an error by Expo shortstop Bryan Little.  Bill Gullickson (2-4, 3.02), bounced one in the dirt as Seaver moved easily into scoring position.  Two batters later the ever so cluth "Le Grande Orange" (aka..Rusty Staub) lined a single into right to score Seaver and make it 1-0.  It would stay that way until the Mets added 2 insurance runs in the 7th thanks to another Expo error...this one by the shorehanded "Mr.  Scoops", Al Oliver.  Staub again delivered when he doubled off the 396 sign in the right center power alley.  Del Unser singled 2 batters later to score Staub and make it 3-1.  New York would post 3 more in the 8th to make this a laugher and give Seaver some much deserved breathing room.  Staub was 4 for 4 on the day with 4 RBI's.  Seaver was 2 for 4 with 2 runs and 1 RBI, which was overshadowed by his "Seaver-like" complete game, 1 run effort.  For Montreal, Gullickson came on board in the 2nd with 2 out when Scott Sanderson left the game with elbow problems.  All 3 runs allowed by Gullickson were unearned.  Chris Welsh allowed New York's 3 runs in the 9th to make this game look like a blowout.