Adam Ulrey's Montreal Expos Diary

August 19, 2002 - Game 124
Colon two-hits Padres in 4-0 win

Bartolo Colon has been everything that Expos could have imagined when the acquired him from the Indians back in June. He and his Montreal teammates played like they were late for a date, as the game was over in just 1 hour and 55 minutes in front of 8,266 fans. Playing what may wind up being their last game in Montreal, Colon threw a two-hitter for his first NL shutout in leading the Expos past the Padres 4-0.

"I didn't realize I was working that fast," Colon said through an interpreter. "I just got into a groove and everything was working for me. I didn't have any plans to pitch fast."

The Expos, who joined the National League in 1969, start a nine-game trip to Colorado on Tuesday and are not scheduled to play at home until August 30th, the date players have set for their strike.

Colon gave up just the two hits, Devi Cruz's single leading off the third and Bubba Trammell's single in the eighth. He struck out six and walked two in his major league leading eighth complete game, his fourth in 10 starts with the Expos. Colon had two shutouts with Cleveland before he was traded to Montreal.

Vladimir Guerrero hit a bomb in the third a three-run shot off of Brian Lawrence for his 33rd dinger of the year. If there is a strike it could also be the last homerun hit in Olympic Stadium. Jose Macias sacrifice fly in the second put Montreal on the board and it would prove to be all that Colon needed. With the win it brought the Expos back to .500 at 62-62.

I still feel that if Montreal finishes at or above .500 that Frank Robinson should get manager of the year. There is no one who saw this coming, to even predict that Montreal would be anything but a last place team in the division seemed absurd.

Since joining the NL in 1969, the Expos are 1,369-1,282 overall in Montreal, including 1,084-926 at Olympic Stadium, the team's home since 1977. Wilkerson's 12 outfield assist rank third in the NL behind Guerrero and Colorado's Larry Walker who both have 14 assist on the year. Wilkerson got his 12th in today's game nailing Devi Cruz at home plate.