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Foiled again Vazquez, Expos stop Braves' bid for three straight
Updated: Wednesday May 30, 2001 5:45 PM
ATLANTA (AP) -- Officially, the save went to the Ugueth Urbina. Realistically, it belonged to Vladimir Guerrero. The Montreal right fielder made a game-saving, backhanded catch on Javy Lopez for the final out, giving the Expos a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday. Javier Vazquez pitched eight strong innings for the Expos, but the Braves still had a chance for their first three-game winning streak of the season. In the ninth, Urbina allowed a two-out RBI single to B.J. Surhoff and walked Rico Brogna before Lopez sent a liner to the gap in right. With both runners circling the bases, Guerrero made a backhanded catch in full stride to end the game. "That was a great catch," manager Felipe Alou said. "I thought he had a shot. He had a great jump and we weren't playing too deep, trying to catch the guy at the plate." Lopez, who is mired in a 3-of-32 slump with runners in scoring position, thought he had finally come through. "As soon as I hit it, I saw it between the two outfielders and I just started running," the Braves catcher said. "What better time to drive in those two runs? But he's fast and he's got long arms." Vazquez (5-5) gave up a long homer to Andruw Jones but otherwise dominated the Braves, who got just two runners past first base against the right-hander. He surrendered five hits, struck out nine and didn't walk anyone before giving way to Urbina, who managed to get the final three outs for his eighth save in 10 chances. For the seventh time this season, the Braves were denied a three-game winning streak. Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh are the only other teams that have failed to win more than two in a row. "The only one who cares about three in a row is you guys," Atlanta starter Greg Maddux scoffed to reporters. "We're just trying to play the game right. Wins and losses, we're not thinking about that." Maddux (4-5) gave up 10 hits and two earned runs in eight innings. The Expos managed only one hit after the fourth. "It doesn't matter," said Maddux, coming off a 1-0 victory over Pittsburgh and second in the NL with a 2.55 ERA. "I didn't pitch good enough to win the game." He didn't get much help from his teammates, continuing a season-long trend. The Braves have just 33 runs in Maddux's 11 starts. The Expos scored two runs in the second and two more in the fourth. Lee Stevens snapped Maddux's 12-inning scoreless streak, scoring from second when right fielder Brian Jordan misplayed Geoff Blum's single for an error. Orlando Cabrera pushed the lead to 2-0 with a two-out, RBI single -- one of four Montreal hits in the second. Montreal stretched its lead to 4-0 with three more hits off Maddux and another costly error by the Braves. With runners at second and third, Cabrera grounded sharply to shortstop Rafael Furcal, whose throw to the plate sailed over the head of Lopez while Michael Barrett slid home. Curtis Pride followed with a single to right, bringing home another run. Vazquez cruised into the sixth having allowed just two hits. He retired the first two hitters, then gave up a single to Furcal. Jones followed with a mammoth homer to left, taking advantage when Vazquez tried to sneak by an 0-2 fastball. The 445-foot drive struck the facade of the second deck and ricocheted onto the field. Vazquez bounced back to retire seven of the last eight hitters he faced. "It's good to have a 4-0 lead against one of the best pitchers in baseball," Vazquez said. "Anytime you beat a great pitcher like Maddux, it's a big boost." The Expos had a miserable day on the basepaths. Milton Bradley led off the third with a double, then was thrown out trying to reach third on a grounder to Furcal. Pride was thrown out twice at second base, once trying to move up after a single and then on a pickoff by Maddux. Notes: Atlanta's Quilvio Veras stretched his hitting streak to 12 games, tying a career high. ... Jones' homer tied for the fourth-longest in Turner Field history. Milwaukee's Jeromy Burnitz has the longest, a 454-foot drive last year. ... Montreal is 5-4 in one-run games.
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