Montreal Sweeps San Francisco

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The Montreal pitching staff lowered its league best ERA to 3.35 to take the league led in that category over pitching rich Brooklyn and Milwaukee (both 3.46). Pitching has been the x factor thus far in the razer thin pennant race in the National League.

Montreal's starting pitchers picked up three wins in the series, but the bullpen was unscored on in 7.1 innings allowing 8 hits and striking out 7. Most notable was rookie Nub Holland who totaled 4 scoreless innings with one strikeouts.

Montreal's offense has not been its strongest feature but they do have some standouts in Greg Akers with 10 homeruns (3rd in the league) and leading the league in runs batted in with 36.

They also had three red hot hitters in this series in Flint Williams who batted .533 (8 for 15), a suddenly hot Pete Bransfield, who has slumped all season so badly no one would take him in multiple trade offers, went 5 for 9 with 4 runs batted in and hit 1 homerun. Slugging Greg Akers batting .286 for the season, with 10 homers and 36 runs batted in went 6 for 13 (.462) with two homeruns continued his star studded season.

Game three starter Red Harrell improved to 7-5 with a 3.25 ERA. Harrell went 6 innings allowed 6 hits four runs, all earned, walked 4 and struck out 4.

Montreal scored a run in the top of the first inning off Dave Hamilton, the Giants starting pitcher. Dick Reyes singled and stole second and scored on Greg Akers single to centerfield.

Harrell was touched up for a run when he gave up a single to Mike Klawitter, who stole second and third base on the All Star battery of Harrrell and Rusie and aggresively came in to score the tying run on a infield ground out by Chris Curley.

Klawitter eould contunie to shine through out thius game tripled in the 3rd inning with no outs and he scored on a ground out to put the Giants in front for the first time in the series 2-1.

Montreal was not deterred. The Expos scored five runs in the 5th inning to take a 6-2 lead.

Reyes singled and stole second. Flint Williams, one of the hot hitters singled to the wrong field because centerfielder Chris Guley unleased a laser beam to catcher Mike Schreiber to get the speedy Reyes at the plate.

Wally Bloomberg singled and Greg Akers doubled in two runs (Willaims and Bloomerg). Pete Bransberg hit a three run homerun, his 5th of the season.

Klawatter hit his second homerun of the season for San Francisco in the 7th but Montreal added on two more in the top of the ninth on singled by Bransfield and Craig to make the final 8-4.