Adam Ulrey's Montreal Expos Diary

July 7, 2002 - Game 87
Phillie outslug Expos on Rolen's homer, 10-8

Scott Rolen, who has been getting booed most of the year by the Phillies fans because he turned down 140 million dollar contract, gave the Phillie fans something to cheer about. In the bottom of the eighth inning he hit a two-run homer to lead the Phillies past the Expos 10-8. Rolen connected on a 1-0 pitch from Matt Herges (2-3) for his 13th homer of the season, scoring Jeremy Giambi, who walked with two outs. Rolen received a standing ovation from the fans as he ran out to his position to start the ninth.

Rheal Cormier (4-4) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win and Jose Mesa pitched the ninth for his 23rd save in 28 chances. The Expos' Brad Wilkerson, who had homered in his previous three games, went 2-for-4 with a single, triple and three runs scored. The Expos had taken the lead in the seventh on brain Schneider's RBI double and Wil Cordero's two-run homer into the upper deck off Carlos Silva. Cordero's homer was his second of the season.

Pat Burrell got the Phillies to within two after hitting a Jim Brower pitch deep into left field for his 22nd of the year. Why this guy is not going to the All-Star game is beyond me. He's batting .280 with 22 homers and 63 RBIs and yet he'll be watching this game.

It got a little ugly in the seventh after Cordero had homered Silva threw high and tight to Wilkerson, who didn't appreciate it and let Silva know about it. Home plate umpire Paul Emmel gave both benches a warning. Then in the Phillies half of the seventh, with Giambi on third, Joey Eischen hit Marlon Anderson with a 1-2 looping slider and was automatically ejected. Pitching coach Dick Pole came out to argue and was promptly ejected. Eischen was surprised by the call, as there was no way he was intentionally trying to hit Anderson.

Orlando Cabrera continued his torrid hitting pace, getting two more hits to raise his average to a season high .275. Troy O'Leary also added two hits and his 21st and 22nd RBIs.

Bartolo Colon, starting his second game with the Expos after coming over in a trade with the Indians, just didn't have it on Sunday as the Phillies whacked him around pretty good. He lasted five innings but gave up four hits and five runs, while walking 7 batters. In the third alone he threw 37 pitches just to get through it. In just five innings Colon threw 109 pitches but only 57 were strikes. He was consistently behind the hitters and the Phillies took advantage of it.

The loss left the Expos at 46-41 9-1/2 games behind the Braves in the East, but only five games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks for the Wild Card spot.