Almost, Tomo

Ohka carries no-hitter into seventh as Expos spank Jays

Orlando Cabrera appreciates Tomo Ohka's latest no-hit bid. AP

TORONTO (AP) -- Montreal Expos manager Frank Robinson and pitcher Tomo Ohka didn't exactly agree on the merits of Ohka's outing.

Robinson thought Ohka never pitched better, Ohka wasn't at all gratified.

Ohka didn't allow a hit until there were two outs in the seventh inning and finished with a two-hitter as the Expos beat the Toronto Blue Jays 10-2 Sunday.

"I'm not satisfied with the outing," Ohka said through an interpreter.

Ohka (7-7) didn't allow a hit until Carlos Delgado's double. Toronto's Frank Catalanotto reached on an error before Delgado lined a ball to left for an RBI double.

The 27-year-old right-hander, who was trying to join Hideo Nomo as the only Japanese pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the majors, allowed two runs -- none earned -- for his first complete game of the season. He hit Reed Johnson with a pitch leading off the third, Toronto's only base runner in the first six innings. He struck out four and walked none.

"I would been very happy if I had a no-hitter," Ohka said.

Ohka kept his no-hit bid alive in the fifth by robbing Delgado of a hit with a stabbing grab of a comebacker.

On April 11, Ohka allowed just one hit -- a fourth-inning single -- in eight innings of a 10-0 win over the New York Mets.

Mike Bordick hit an RBI single in the eighth for Toronto's only other hit.

"He had as dominating performance as you're going to see. It's too bad he didn't complete it," Robinson said. "I've seen him pitch outstanding games, but this was just a tremendous performance. He was just in complete control."

Ron Calloway went 3-for-5 with four RBIs for the Expos, who finished 3-3 against the Blue Jays this season. The teams will share the Pearson Cup, which is awarded to the winner of the interleague series. Each team has won the trophy three times, and there were three ties. The trophy was named for former Canadian prime minister Lester B. Pearson.

"I didn't know anybody was capable of doing that do us," Toronto manager Carlos Tosca said of his team being held to a season-low two hits.

The Blue Jays finished interleague play 10-8, while Montreal went 9-9.

Toronto starter Kelvim Escobar (5-5) loaded the bases in the second inning before Calloway hit a two-run single, giving Montreal a 2-0 lead.

Catalanotto reached base in the seventh by hitting a grounder to first baseman Edwards Guzman, who dropped the ball and threw wildly to Ohka, who was covering first.

The Expos employed a shift against the left-handed Delgado, who stroked the ball to the opening in left for a double.

Montreal scored six runs in the eighth on Jose Vidro's solo home run, Calloway's RBI single, Guzman's two-run single and on third baseman Eric Hinske's fielding error, which scored two runs.

Toronto's Johnson reached on Ohka's throwing error in the bottom half and scored on Bordick's RBI single, cutting Montreal's lead to 8-2.

Escobar allowed three runs on eight in seven-plus innings.

Calloway hit an RBI single in the ninth and Mike Barrett added an RBI grounder.

Notes: After the game, the Blue Jays placed closer Cliff Politte on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right shoulder. Right-hander Juan Acevedo has also been temporarily removed from the 25-man roster for bereavement leave to attend the funeral of his grandmother in Chicago. The Blue Jays have recalled right-hander Mike Smith and left-hander Jason Kershner from Class AAA Syracuse. ... Montreal had 13 hits. ... Toronto designated hitter Josh Phelps sat out a fourth straight game to make room for Johnson. ... Toronto shortstop Chris Woodward missed his second straight game with a bruised left thumb. ... Delgado leads the majors with 89 RBIs.

 

Related information

Stories

Interleague Play: The good, bad and ugly Statitudes: Week in Review, By the Numbers

Stats

Expos-Blue Jays Box Score

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video