Adam Ulrey's Montreal Expos Diary

August 29, 2002 - Game 133
Phillies get another well pitched game beating the Expos 2-1

Brandon Duckworth had gone for what seemed like eternity without winning a game before finally getting one against the Expos on Thursday. Duckworth pitched seven strong innings and Bobby Abreu supplied all the offense they would need with his two-run homer off of Bartolo Colon in the bottom of the third for the Phillies 2-1 win. Duckworth (6-8) allowed one run, two hits and struck out eight to win his first game since July 1. He was 0-3 in his last eight starts. Bartolo Colon was just as sharp, except for allowing the Abreu homer. He went seven strong innings, giving up just six hits and two runs, while striking out five. It lowered his ERA to 2.76.

Jose Macias drove in the only Expos run with his RBI double in the top of the third to give the Expos a very short lived 1-0 lead. The Phillies, when they were hitting the ball, were hitting it hard. Five of their six hits were for extra bases. Abreu's homer gave the Phillies homers in 15 straight games, breaking the club record set in 1922. Vladimir Guerrero saw his 11-game hitting streak come to an end.

The Phillies have been playing better ever since the trade of Scott Rolen, going 17-11 in his absence. Montreal's 26 road wins are the fifth-fewest in the National league. The Expos have been nothing more than a .500 team. Not really ever putting many winning or losing streaks together. They win one lose one and that's been their mentality all year long. Yet here they are playing just one game under .500 at 66-67. No one gave them much of a chance to be in this position coming down to the end of the season. If they somehow can avoid the strike it would be nice to see if this team could end up over .500 for the year.