Northern Expos-ure

Pirates 3, Expos 2
Steve Rogers vs Bruce Kison
"Hard Luck" Steve Rogers was once again victimized by his defense.  With 1 out and 1 on Pete Mackanin booted a sure fire DP ball hit by Frank Taveras.  Bruce Kison now found himself in a sacrifice situation and easily advanced both runners up 90 feet into scoring position.  Dave Parker, hitting leadoff, lined a 0-2 shot into right to score Richie Hebner and Frank Taveras to break a scoreless tie and make it 2-0 Bucs.  Montreal would cut the Bucs lead in half when Jerry White scored on Larry Parrish's slow roller to Stennett at second.  In the bottom of the 7th Frank Taveras would help manufacture a big insurance run by working out a walk, stealing second and scoring on an RBI single by reliever Larry Demery.  That run would loom large because the Expos would score once in the top of the 9th.  Larry Parrish would lead off the inning with a single and wind up on second on a botched hit and run play.  Tim Foli made up for his missing the sign on the hit and run, by lining a single to put runners on the corners.  The league's best pinch hitter, Jose Morales, strolled to the plate with runners on the corners and nobody out.  Ramon Hernandez would make the pitch of the game and Morales would hit a room service hop to Taveras at short, who would easily start the 6-4-3 DP.  Parrish would score on the play to make it 3-2, but all the wind was now out of the Expos' sails.  Pinch hitter Ellis Valentine singled, but when Hernandez got pinch hitter Bombo Rivera to fly out weakly to Parker in right, the game was over and the Bucs had a well earned 1 run victory.  Bruce Kison, who pitched 5+ solid innings, became the NL's first 7 game winner.  Kison (7-2, 1.76) is definitely in the hunt for the NL Cy Young Award with his great start.