Adam Ulrey's Montreal Expos Diary

August 23, 2002 - Game 128
Ohka pitches a gem in leading the Expos past the Giants 7-2

Tomo Ohka pitched another outstanding game, leading his Expos to the 7-2 win despite Barry Bonds taking Ohka yard for his 602nd homer of his great career. Bonds hit a pitch that Ohka threw right where he wanted too, but he forgot this is Bonds and no matter where you pitch it he just can flat out hit. That would be the only bright spot for the Giants on this day, Ohka was the man, going 7 2/3 innings giving up just six hits and two earned runs. He ran his record to 11-6 on the year and his ERA was lowered to 3.28. Ohka won his third straight decision, allowing six hits and three walks as the Expos snapped the Giants four game winning streak. In his last five starts Ohka has an ERA of 1.73.

Michael Barrett put this game out of reach in the ninth with his 11th homer of the year a two-run shot off of Jay Witasick. Troy O'Leary also added two hits and two RBIs to raise his average to .298. The Expos only had eight hits, but made them count. They only left four men on base, and of their eight hits, five of them were for extra bases.

Joey Eischen, who has been incredible coming out of the bullpen, recorded his first save of the year going 1 1/3 innings to lower his team leading ERA to 1.34.

The game's start was delayed 29 minutes to accommodate a pregame ceremony honoring Bonds' 600th homer, hit two weeks earlier. Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Expos manager Frank Robinson joined Bonds on the field in a gathering of four of baseball's five top home run hitters. The win brought the Expos back to .500 at 64-64.