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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
PHOENIX (AP) -- If Curt Schilling doesn't pitch a complete game
against Montreal, that will be news.
Schilling improved to 3-0 since coming to Arizona and threw a
complete game against the Expos for the eighth consecutive time as
the Diamondbacks beat Montreal 5-2 Monday night.
|  | | Curt Schilling went the distance against the Expos for the eight consecutive time. |
"This might be hard to believe," Schilling said, "but I'm
prepared to pitch nine innings every five days. That's what I'm
here for. That's what they pay me for."
It was a strange game where strikeouts became a major offensive
weapon for the Diamondbacks.
Steve Finley fanned twice for Arizona, but reached safely both
times when catcher Chris Widger didn't catch the ball. The miscues
led to four unearned runs for the Diamondbacks, two in the first
and two in Arizona's three-run sixth.
"There were some guys in our dugout that were thinking about
Atlanta," Arizona manager Buck Showalter said, referring to a big
game late last season when Kelly Stinnett struck out for what would
have been the final out of the game. But Javy Lopez dropped the
ball, then overthrew first base and the Diamondbacks went on to
win.
"You take them any way you can get them," Finley said. "You
don't always win ballgames in conventional ways. You've got to make
things happen sometimes."
It was Schilling's second consecutive complete game, fifth in
his last seven starts and 63rd of his career.
Schilling (9-6) allowed eight hits in the first five innings,
but none the rest of the way to boost his record to 8-2 with a 1.72
ERA in his last 11 starts.
"I've seen him better than that," Montreal manager Felipe Alou
said. "That is how you become a great pitcher. Even when you don't
have great stuff, you win and go nine innings."
Schilling struck out five and walked one. For the second time in
a row, he retired the last 13 batters.
"I believe, in this league, you beat good pitchers early or you
don't beat them at all," Schilling said. "It's been the moniker
for Glavine and Maddux and Smoltz. Any of them. You jump on them
early or you don't beat them, because I feel like once I get
settled in, I know what I can do, and I do it."
He said he felt his fastball was so good early, he relied on it
too much.
"I was throwing instead of pitching," Schilling said.
After the fifth inning, he adjusted his style, and the Expos
never got on base again.
Damian Miller doubled in a run in the sixth to break a 2-2 tie.
Trey Moore (1-1) allowed only one earned run on eight hits. His
two strikeouts turned out to be two of Arizona's biggest offensive
plays.
In the first inning, Jay Bell singled with one out, then Luis
Gonzalez was hit by a pitch. After Matt Williams fouled out, Finley
struck out for what would have been the third out.
But Widger couldn't come up with the ball, which was far off the
plate. Widger then threw high to first for an error and Finley was
safe as Bell scored. Greg Colbrunn followed with an RBI single, and
Finley was thrown out at home on the play to end the inning with
Arizona up 2-0.
Finley led off the sixth and struck out again, but the fastball
glanced off Widger's mitt all the way to the backstop and he was
safe at first.
"It didn't make Widger look too good," Moore said, "but it
was actually my mistake in pitch location."
Finley scored the go-ahead run on Miller's one-out double to
deep center field.
Danny Bautista followed with an RBI single, and moved to second
on Schilling's sacrifice bunt. Tony Womack singled up the middle to
drive in Bautista to make it 5-2.
The Expos tied it 2-2 on Peter Bergeron's bases-loaded single
with two outs in the fourth. Lee Stevens led off the inning with a
single. After two outs, Wilton Guerrero singled, then Moore lined
one off Schilling's wrist and leg to load the bases for Bergeron,
who hit the first pitch for a base hit up the middle.
Game notes
Moore has allowed only one earned run in two starts (10 2/3
innings) since being recalled from Triple-A Ottawa. ... Womack made
a diving stop to his left to rob Jose Vidro of a hit in the first
inning. ... Right-hander Todd Stottlemyre, on the disabled list
with elbow tendinitis since June 26, will throw off the mound
Wednesday and tentatively is scheduled to return to Arizona's
rotation Sept. 3.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Montreal Clubhouse
Arizona Clubhouse
Diamondbacks target Sept. 3 as tentative return for Stottlemyre
RECAPS
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