Phillies win on Stevens` error

A change of managers did not change Montreal`s bad luck.

First baseman Lee Stevens` two-out error in the ninth inning allowed three runs to score and the Philadelphia Phillies beat Montreal 5-2 Thursday night, spoiling Jeff Torborg`s first game as the Expos` manager.

Torborg became the Expos` 10th manager earlier in the day after Felipe Alou, the winningest and longest-serving manager in team history, was fired.

The Expos, with the third-worst record in the NL, quickly fell behind when Doug Glanville hit his 10th homer on Hideki Irabu`s second pitch of the game.

"I was really impressed with the way our guys kept working at it, putting pressure on their pitchers," Torborg said. "They kept coming back in tough situations. I liked what I`ve seen."

With the score tied at 2, Bobby Abreu, already 3-for-3 with a sacrifice fly, walked leading off the ninth and stole second, just beating catcher Michael Barrett`s throw on a pitchout.

Scott Rolen singled off Scott Strickland (0-2), advancing Abreu to third, and Travis Lee walked to load the bases.

Strickland, who came on with one out in the eighth and pitched out of a bases-loaded jam, struck out Pat Burrell and Gary Bennett before getting Marlon Anderson to ground sharply to first.

"The ball hit the seam between the dirt and the turf," Strickland said. "Nobody`s ever said this is the greatest turf in the world here. It may have cost us the game tonight because it sure put a squirrely bounce on that ball and it slipped through Lee`s legs. It`s one of those things where they give him an error but it`s not, it`s just complete bad luck."

All three runners scored as the ball got past Stevens and rolled to the right-field corner.

"I missed it," Stevens said. "It cost us three runs and cost us the game. Nobody feels worse about it than I do, that`s for sure. It`s kind of like hitting. When you do it at the right time, it`s not a big deal. If you do it at the wrong time, it costs you the game. I made an error and it cost us the game tonight. I take full responsibility for that."

Said Phillies manager Larry Bowa: "That ball was crushed, it was smoked. That turf is so fast I thought it could have been a hit. I`m sure he`ll tell you he should have had it. It wasn`t an easy play, put it that way."

None of that was any consolation for Stevens.

"I feel I should catch everything so I`m not going to say that it should have been a hit, or whatever," Stevens said. "It was an error and I missed it. I`ll come back tomorrow and get my work in, and try to make all the plays out there."

Rheal Cormier (3-0) pitched a perfect eighth and Jose Mesa pitched the ninth for his 16th save in 18 opportunities as the Phillies won their fourth straight.

Montreal made it 1-all in the third on Vladimir Guerrero`s RBI double off Amaury Telemaco and went ahead on Barrett`s solo homer in the fourth.

Burrell, who singled in the fourth to extend his career-best hitting streak to 12 games, and Glanville each had two hits as Philadelphia outhit the Expos 12-5.

Irabu, who was activated from the 60-day disabled list prior to the game, allowed eight hits and two runs in five innings in his first start since last July 27.

Telemaco allowed two runs, holding Montreal to four hits in seven innings. He struck out six and walked one.

"We took advantage of our opportunities," Telemaco said. "It was a great game. We battled the whole time and I gave the team a chance to come back and it was awesome."

Game notes:
Glanville has homered leading off a game seven times, six with the Phillies. ... Barrett blocked an 0-2 pitch in the dirt by Strickland with Bennett batting in the ninth.

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News