April 14, 1976 - Jarry Parc
Jim Lonborg vs Don Stanhouse
Phillies 7, Expos 5
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| 2 run homer made it 4-0 |
After all the pomp and circumstance associated with opening day was complete a game had to be played. The 1-3 Expos treated the home fans to a quick 4-0 lead. Jerry White led off the bottom of the 1st by working out a walk. Pete Mackanin doubled him over to third. Mike Jorgensen lifted a fly ball to right and White raced home easily to make it 1-0. Two batters later Larry Parrish delivered a 2 out RBI single to make it 2-0. A 2 run homer by Jerry White in the second made it 4-0 and all was good in Montreal. Don Stanhouse was busy mowing down Philly batters and after 7 innings the score was still 4-0. The top of the 8th would see the Phightin's finally solve the frigid 46 degree weather and get to Stanhouse. Johnny Oates would pinch hit for Lonborg and work out a lead off walk. Dave Cash would double home Oates with one out to make it 4-3. Good teams find a way to minimize the damage and not allow big innings. Montreal is not a good team, so disaster loomed. An error by Parrish at 3rd and a Wild pitch on a called strike three allowed extra runners to reach base or score errantly. The "secretary of defense" Garry Maddox's single accounted for the third run and just like that a safe 4-0 lead was now a tenuous 1 run lead at best. The Expos struck back in the bottom of the frame when "the kid" Gary Carter doubled home Mike Jorgensen with 2 out. This put the Expos up 5-3 heading into the top of the 
ninth. Closer Dale Murray was called on to protect a two run lead and deliver a home opener victory to the fans. Four runs later the Expos were down by 2. An RBI double by pinch hitter "Downtown" Ollie Brown got it all started. Larry Bowa would chip in with a game tying RBI single. "The Bull", Greg Luzinski would add an RBI single of his own to give Philly their first lead of the day. Mike Schmidt would hit a bullet to third to score Bowa. The ball was hit so hard it handcuffed Parrish, who was lucky to just get the force at second. Ron Reed would stroll in from the pen to pitch the 9th and close out the demoralized 'Spos. After Nate Colbert went down swinging, Tim Foli singled to show some sign of life. Bombo Rivera would also go down swinging and pinch hitter Jose Morales would fly out weakly to center to end this fiasco. Hats off to the Phightins for coming back from two deficits to seal the deal.
Record Tracker:
Real Life (1-3) & Replay (1-3)
ninth. Closer Dale Murray was called on to protect a two run lead and deliver a home opener victory to the fans. Four runs later the Expos were down by 2. An RBI double by pinch hitter "Downtown" Ollie Brown got it all started. Larry Bowa would chip in with a game tying RBI single. "The Bull", Greg Luzinski would add an RBI single of his own to give Philly their first lead of the day. Mike Schmidt would hit a bullet to third to score Bowa. The ball was hit so hard it handcuffed Parrish, who was lucky to just get the force at second. Ron Reed would stroll in from the pen to pitch the 9th and close out the demoralized 'Spos. After Nate Colbert went down swinging, Tim Foli singled to show some sign of life. Bombo Rivera would also go down swinging and pinch hitter Jose Morales would fly out weakly to center to end this fiasco. Hats off to the Phightins for coming back from two deficits to seal the deal.Record Tracker:
Real Life (1-3) & Replay (1-3)
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