Adam Ulrey's Montreal Expos Diary

July 25, 2002 - Game 102
Marlins win late over Expos 3-2

Juan Encarnacion picked a good time to get his first game-winning hit for the Marlins. Enacrnacion singled through a drawn-in infield to drive in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning Thursday night to give the Marlins a 3-2 victory over the Expos.

After the two teams both scored runs in the eighth, Preston Wilson singled off T.J. Tucker (4-2) to lead off the ninth and advanced to third on Mike Lowell's double off the left-field wall. Derek Lee was next up and he was intentionally walked to load the bases for Encarnacion.

Montreal, which returned from a 1-5 road trip, lost for the sixth time in its last seven games to begin a 10-game home stand. Masato Yoshii for the second straight start pitched beautifully, only to watch as his bullpen again blew a very good outing. Yoshii needed just 61 pitches to get through the first seven innings before running into trouble after Charles Johnson's one-out single in the eighth. Yoshii allowed eight hits and two runs in 7 2/3 innings, his longest outing of the year.

"Yoshii gave me an excellent start - I couldn't ask for any better - and he wasn't rewarded for it," Robinson said. "We're just squandering some well-pitched games in the second half of the season."

Andres Galarraga kept his torrid bat going hitting his 4th homer of the year in the second inning off of Brad Penny to even the score at 1-1. Fernando Tatis added a run-scoring single in the eighth to again even the score at 2-2. Tatis, who was hurt for over a month, now has 41 RBIs on the season. Luis Castillo, Preston Wilson and Mike Lowell all contributed two hits each to lead the 11-hit attack of the Marlins. Tony Armas Jr., who has been getting hammered lately, will look to change the fortune of the Expos tomorrow when he goes for win number nine.