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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MONTREAL (AP) -- Kris Benson pitched his best in the toughest
situation.
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| Benson |
Benson got out of a bases-loaded jam with none out in the
seventh as the Pittsburgh Pirates held on for a 2-1 win over the
Montreal Expos on Tuesday night, stopping a four-game losing
streak.
"You hope not to be in that situation, but you like it at the
same time, as a pitcher," Benson said. "You like to compete
because, with nobody out, you need to come up with some big
pitches. We got out of the jam and that really helped us."
Jason Kendall homered off Mike Johnson (2-2) in the first and
Warren Morris hit an RBI single in the fifth to drive in Aramis
Ramirez, who had two of Pittsburgh's four hits in the game.
Benson (6-5), who allowed Jose Vidro's game-tying homer in the
fourth to snap his scoreless innings streak at 16, won his second
straight start and has allowed just two runs in his last three
starts.
"It's definitely helped our ball team," Benson said. "Any
time I can keep the opposition down in runs, it only puts us in a
good situation to win a ballgame, and that's what we need right
now."
Mike Williams pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 11
opportunities.
Leading 2-1, Benson escaped unscathed with the bases loaded in
the seventh. Chris Widger hit a leadoff single and advanced to
third when shortstop Pat Meares misplayed Orlando Cabrera's softly
hit grounder up the middle for an error.
After Benson hit Geoff Blum to load the bases, Meares redeemed
himself when he raced into short left field to catch Peter
Bergeron's soft liner with his back to home plate.
"I really wanted a strikeout against Blum, but I ended up
hitting him, and then Bergeron, who I know is not going to strike
out easily," Benson said. "But I was able to get in on his hands
and pop him up."
Benson then got Wilton Guerrero to hit a sharp grounder to
third, which Ramirez fielded, stepped on third, and threw to first
for an inning-ending double play.
"With Wilton, I just wanted to keep him in the infield,"
Benson said. "The way that it worked out was perfect. I was
definitely working for a double play. He hit it in the perfect spot
for me."
Vladimir Guerrero, who doubled following Vidro's homer in the
fourth, chased Benson with a one-out triple in the eighth.
Reliever Jason Christiansen struck out Lee Stevens on three
pitches. Marc Wilkins replaced Christiansen and got pinch-hitter
Brian Schneider to fly to left as the Expos failed to score a
runner from third with less than two outs for the second straight
inning.
"That's how you win games," Vidro said. "You've got to come
through with guys in scoring position. Unfortunately, we didn't
tonight."
Benson allowed six hits in 7 1/3 innings as his ERA fell to
2.83.
"We didn't take advantage of a couple of innings there that we
could have easily won the game, but he made some good pitches to
get out of the inning. His stats have already proved that he's a
good pitcher."
Vidro's homer was his third off Benson this season. He also
homered twice on April 11 in a 7-3 win at Pittsburgh.
"I just happen to feel good every time he pitches," Vidro
said.
Johnson allowed two runs and just three hits in six innings.
Game notes
Just 8,056 were on hand for the game, one night after the
Expos drew a season-low 7,483. ... Benson has gone seven innings or
more in 12 of 15 starts this season, including his last five. ...
The Expos have four players with more than 45 RBIs, including
Vladimir Guerrero, who leads the team with 60 RBIs. Stevens and
Vidro both have 48 and Rondell White has 46. ... White missed his
second straight start in left due to a sore left knee. White
injured the knee Sunday while trying to beat out a double play
grounder in Chicago. X-rays done on the knee Tuesday came back
negative. ... Wilton Guerrero started in left for the second
straight game.
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Baseball Scoreboard
Pittsburgh Clubhouse
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RECAPS
Oakland 8
Baltimore 5
NY Yankees 3
Boston 0
Detroit 18
Toronto 6
Cleveland 4
Chi. White Sox 1
Texas 5
Minnesota 2
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Seattle 4
Tampa Bay 3
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Montreal 1
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Atlanta 11
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Houston 6
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