Adam Ulrey's Montreal Expos Diary

July 28, 2002 - Game 105
Colon pitches a two-hitter to handcuff the Marlins 4-1

If you want to stop the bleeding you call on your horse, and the Expos have one in Bartolo Colon who threw a masterpiece in leading his team to the 4-1 victory over the Marlins.

"You can call him what you want - you're not going to have too many long losing streaks with him on your staff," Expos manager Frank Robinson said." Colon pitched a two-hitter for his seventh complete game of the season to lead Montreal to victory. "He just seems to go out there and give you a solid performance. It doesn't take many runs, either."

A crowd of 16,770 was on hand for an Andre Dawson bobblehead giveaway that saw Jose Vidro and Fernando Tatis homer as Colon (4-1) held the Marlins to a one-out double by Eric Owens in the first and Andy Fox's two-out triple in the eighth. Each of Colon's four victories since joining Montreal on June 27th have followed a loss. Two of the victories ended a pair of three-game losing streaks.

"Bartolo has been doing a great job out there," Vidro said. "He gives us a chance to win."

Colon, who had four complete games with Cleveland, pitched his third complete game in six starts with Montreal since he was acquired from the Indians on June 27th. Orlando Cabrera added a two RBIs one of them coming on his double in the 4th. The Expos only had six hits themselves, but took advantage of them and when Colon is on the hill you don't need many anyway.

Dawson, who was on hand for the giveaway of 5,000 dolls in his likeness, hit into the only triple play in the Expos 34-year history, on Sept. 27, 1983, at St. Louis. The Marlins in the third inning turned their first triple play in club history. With the win the Expos moved to within one game of .500 with the great performance by Colon.

I still feel that for whatever reason this team will not be contracted, for when it's all said and done someone somewhere will buy and move this team. The Expos have a very solid team and a very good minor league system so will just have to wait and see what happens.