Expos Rout Phillies

Vladimir Guerrero and the Montreal Expos served notice to the NL East that they are still going to compete. Guerrero and Lee Stevens hit back-to-back homers to cap a four-run sixth-inning Sunday as Montreal beat the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies 10-3.

The Expos won their second straight to even their record at 2-2 under new manager Jeff Torborg, who replaced the fired Felipe Alou on Thursday.

"We`re going to keep on playing, with or without Felipe," Guerrero said through an interpreter.

Omar Daal (6-1) allowed five runs -- four earned -- and 10 hits in three innings to lose for the first time in 12 starts this season.

"It feels weird, but you know it`s going to happen sooner or later," Daal said. "You just have to keep going."

The Phillies lost their second straight after winning 13 of 15.

"Stuff happens," Phillies manager Larry Bowa said. "We didn`t pitch very good the last two games, and that`s what happens when you play every day."

Guerrero, batting third for the second straight game, followed up his career-high six RBIs on Saturday by hitting a two-run homer off reliever Ricky Bottalico to put Montreal up 8-3. Guerrero has homered in three straight games.

"I`m just as comfortable batting third," Guerrero said. "It doesn`t matter to me if I bat third, fourth or fifth. As long as I`m in the lineup and playing, I`m happy."

Stevens hit a 1-1 pitch over the left-field wall to increase the Expos` lead to six.

Torborg used the same lineup he had one night earlier. Stevens, Orlando Cabrera and Terry Jones each had three hits as Montreal tied a season high with 16 hits, after getting 14 hits the night before.

"Oh, boy! How about that?" Torborg said. "That is fun to watch."

Masato Yoshii (2-2) allowed Bobby Abreu`s leadoff homer in the sixth as the Phillies drew within 5-3. Yoshii gave up three runs -- two earned -- and five hits in 5 2-3 innings.

Terry Jones hit his third straight single leading off the bottom half. After pinch hitter Andy Tracy struck out, Jones stole second and scored on Mike Mordecai`s RBI double as Montreal increased its lead to 6-3.

One out later, Guerrero hit Bottalico`s first pitch over the center-field wall for his 12th homer. The 432-foot drive bounced twice before hitting the black curtain suspended from the video scoreboard about 500 feet from home plate.

Doug Glanville reached on Cabrera`s throwing error leading off the game, stole second and third and came home on Abreu`s RBI grounder. The Phillies scored in the first inning in each of the series` four games.

Montreal came back with three in the second on Mark Smith`s two-run double and Jones` run-scoring single to take a 3-1 lead.

Cabrera hit a two-out RBI single in the fourth and Randy Knorr added a run-scoring double to put the Expos up 5-1.

"What I liked so much were the two-out RBIs," Torborg said. "You`ve got a chance to win some games when you pick up runs with two outs. That`s what our guys did."

Glanville`s run-scoring single in the fifth drew Philadelphia to within three and Abreu homered for the second straight game leading off the sixth to make it 5-3.

Notes:
Phillies 3B Scott Rolen was rested and missed his first start of the season. ... Daal, 4-19 last season, hadn`t lost since Sept. 16 last season. ... Philadelphia`s Pat Burrell went 0-for-4 to end his career-best hitting streak at 14 games. ... Guerrero went 10-for-15 with five doubles, three homers and 10 RBIs in the series. ... The Expos also had 16 hits in a 13-7 loss to Houston on May 6.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News