Expos Battle Through Adversity, Fail to Execute, Drop 3-2 Decision to Tri City

Despite a 5th place finish and banging out 35 hits in their last 2 games, the Expos were battling through adversity in the form of injuries. The game started with 9 healthy players at the conclusion of the game Vancouver was left with 6 healthy players. It was definitely a struggle, the boys battled but in the end came up short against a Tri City Indians ball club that exacted revenge from a 9-0 "B" final defeat on Monday.

EXPOS 2 TriCity 3

The Expos were looking to pick up right where they left off on Monday, the 3rd inning showed signs of that when Howse drived a ball to RF for a double, Domingo bettered that with an RBI triple to RF then was plated by Suarez; Vancouver was up 2-0 on Tri City. The bottom of the 3rd saw the Indians sratch a run across, a defensive error on a Columbus bloop, a couple walks sandwiched a Blight strikeout and then with 2 outs Norris hit a single to score Columbus as Tri City trailed Vancouver by 1. The bottom of the 4th saw Tri City again scratch across a run with 2 outs, a walk to 9-batter Sugi (2nd BB of the game for Sugi) after being ahead in the count 0-2, put the speed threat on base and as expected stole 2nd, advanced to 3rd on a wild pitch; Yam opted to go with Howse to face Columbus and the move would not pay off as Columbus provided another two out RBI single for the Indians tying up the ball game up at deuces.

Expos starter, Inomata, battled control issues in his first outing back from his trip allowing 5 walks in 3 2/3 innings; that being said, he didn't get much offensive support at all as Vancouver just could not cash in with runners in scoring position going 2/10 in the clutch situations. In the top of the 6th, Vancouver had the go-ahead run at 3rd with 1 out and the combination of a  failed bunt attempt and bad baserunning at 3rd gave Tri City the out and momentum they needed to get a run in the bottom half of the inning.

The bottom of the 6th saw (you guessed it...) another Sugi walk after being ahead 0-2 in the count, it was Sugi's third free pass of the day, another steal of 2nd and then (you guessed it...) another 2-out RBI by Columbus as a routine fly ball to RF was mishandled allowing the eventual winning run to score from 2nd. Tri City up 1 and Vancouver down to their last 3 outs.

Vancouver would not go down without a fight, the scrappy lead off hitter Domingo worked a walk off Stanyer, Yamamoto then singled through the hole, setting up a big at bat for Suarez. Blight came in for the 2 out close and Suarez would battle with 2 strikes but eventually fly out in foul territory to RF. Yamamoto knew the next batter up was incapable of swinging the bat or running at his full capability so after Domingo successfully tagged from 2nd on the fly ball, Yamamoto got himself in the rundown between 1st and 2nd to give Domingo a chance to score from 3rd but it was snuffed out as first baseman Yee of Tri City threw a strike to home to nab Domingo at the plate, thus ending the game. It is worth noting that Howse was excellent in the relief going 2 1/3 innings allowing 0 earned runs and striking out 5 Indians batters.

The way Tri City scored their runs were disheartening, the way the ball game ended was a hard pill to swallow, the number of injuries that occurred that game and the last couple days was tough but the Expos as they've done all year battled through it all, through all the adversity and put up a fight even when they look down and out. A week without any games couldn't have come at a better time for the injury-riddled Vancouver roster, but things won't get any easier as they get a visit from the Richmond Chuckers next Wednesday.