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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MONTREAL -- The Atlanta Braves aren't the least bit
concerned about making the playoffs.
|  | | Montreal's Orlando Cabrera belted a three-run homer Friday to help the Expos shock the Atlanta Braves. |
Tony Armas Jr. ran his scoreless streak to 19 innings before
allowing a run and Orlando Cabrera homered for the second straight
game as the Montreal Expos delayed Atlanta's playoff clinching with
a 6-4 win Friday night.
The Braves, who have made eight straight playoff appearances,
could have clinched at least a wild card berth with a win. Losses
by Arizona and Los Angeles later in the night also would wrap up a
postseason bid.
"We're not thinking about it," losing pitcher Kevin Millwood
said. "We're trying to get the best record and that's what we're
gunning for. We want to win the East and we want to finish up with
the best record, and anything less than that is going to be a
letdown."
Armas (7-8) brought a 14-inning scoreless streak into the game
and didn't allow a run until Bobby Bonilla hit his fifth homer with
two outs in the sixth.
"He throws great," Bonilla said. "He's got good stuff. A good
fastball, good movement, a good live arm -- I was impressed."
Andruw Jones hit a three-run homer in the seventh to chase Armas
and draw the Braves to within one at 5-4.
Armas allowed six hits and four runs in 6 2/3 innings. He struck
out four and walked five.
"I made two mistakes, both fastballs -- one to Bonilla, one to
Jones," Armas said. "You make mistakes with them and you pay for
it."
Scott Strickland pitched the ninth for his ninth save in 12
tries.
Cabrera, who tied his career-best with five RBI Thursday, hit a
three-run homer -- his 13th -- in the fourth off Millwood (10-12) as
Montreal won for the seventh time in 10 games against Atlanta this
season.
"We battle those Expos but they keep whipping us," Bonilla
said. "I don't know what it is. We come in and they take their
game to a new level."
The Braves' lead dropped to 3½ games over the Mets in the NL
East and their magic number remained at six.
Montreal's Peter Bergeron tripled in the second and scored the
Expos' first run when Jones couldn't pick up the ball cleanly on
the warning track for his second error of the season.
Cabrera's homer in the fourth made it 4-0.
Andy Tracy hit an RBI double in the fifth to increase Montreal's
lead to 5-0. Geoff Blum added an RBI double in the eighth.
Millwood allowed six hits and five runs -- four earned -- in six
innings. He struck out four and walked one.
Game notes
Chipper Jones, who went 1-for-3, is 27-for-69 (.391) with
four homers and 13 RBI in September. ... Despite going 1-for-4,
Vladimir Guerrero is 35-for-83 (.422) with 12 homers and 24 RBI
this month. He hit his team-record 43rd homer Thursday, his sixth
homer in five games, to raise his total bases to 368, breaking the
team record of 367 he set in 1998.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Atlanta Clubhouse
Montreal Clubhouse
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