The Montreal Expos came into the postseason as the class of the United League. Winners of 110 games. First in OBP. First in bullpen ERA. Pedro Martinez punched out a record-breaking 403 batters, blowing past Randy Johnson’s single-season mark like it was batting practice. They were deep, balanced, dangerous. And they’re done. Out in five games. Again. This time, at the hands of the Washington Senators — a wildcard team with a bullpen in...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — You couldn’t script it much better: two head-to-head showdowns with the best pitcher in baseball, and two complete-game shutouts to send your team to the League Championship Series. That’s what John Burkett just delivered. In a span of seven days, the 30-year-old right-hander beat Pedro Martinez twice, blanked the 110-win Montreal Expos in two must-win games, and stacked those gems on top of a playoff-clinching shutout...
WASHINGTON, D.C. — If you’re looking for poetic justice in baseball, look no further than the bottom of the fourth inning at RFK Stadium. Two outs. Bases loaded. Pedro Martinez on the mound. And Mike Stanley—veteran catcher, mid-series trade bait, clubhouse rock—at the plate. What happened next won’t be forgotten in Washington anytime soon. Stanley turned on an 0-1 fastball and launched it deep into the night, a no-doubt grand slam...
Royals 7, Pirates 1 – Kansas City Seizes Control Behind Kevin Brown’s Gem Game 5 was about tone-setting—and Kevin Brown set it early. With the series tied 2–2, the Royals right-hander delivered a complete-game gem in Pittsburgh, scattering 9 hits while allowing just one run and striking out 7. Brown's performance handed Kansas City a commanding 3–2 series lead and quieted a sold-out Three Rivers Stadium crowd. A first-inning homer by...
Giants 8, Mets 5 (10 innings) – Series tied 2–2Moises Alou put the San Francisco Giants on his back and slugged them right back into the Division Series. Facing elimination energy in hostile Shea Stadium, Alou crushed two home runs—including a 3-run bomb in the 10th—to lead the Giants past the Mets, 8–5. Alou finished the night with 7 RBIs, a new UL playoff extra-inning record, driving in runs with a sac fly, a 3-run blast in the 6th,...
MONTREAL — Three games into the Division Series, the Montreal Expos find themselves in an all-too-familiar position: staring down the weight of expectation, legacy, and collapse. The numbers on the scoreboard don’t lie.Senators 2, Expos 1.Washington—chaotic, unpolished, borderline self-sabotaging—holds the series lead. Montreal—110 wins strong, sabermetrically beautiful, built for this moment—is trailing. If Game 1 was a gut punch,...
In a postseason already defined by contradictions, the Washington Senators have added another layer of confusion to their October narrative. Just hours after taking a 2-1 series lead over the Montreal Expos—on the road, no less—the organization’s leadership doubled down on its puzzling mid-series trade drama. When questioned about the public posting of veteran catcher Mike Stanley on the trade block during an active playoff run, the...
Pirates 10, Royals 1 — Gwynn Erupts, Hammond Shuts Door in Series-Saving Rout The bats came alive, the crowd never sat down, and for one night at least, Pittsburgh looked like the team that was supposed to push Kansas City to the brink. Tony Gwynn led the charge in a 10–1 blowout that kept the Pirates’ season alive. The veteran outfielder was electric at the plate, going 4-for-5 with a two-run homer, a double, and three RBI, fueling an...
In the middle of their high-stakes playoff clash with the Montreal Expos, the Washington Senators have gone public with a surprising move: they’ve openly placed veteran catcher Mike Stanley on the trade market. The offer—posted for all teams to see—signals a clear intent to offload salary in preparation for a tight offseason. The ask? Stanley and a non–first-round draft pick in exchange for a fourth-round selection. On paper, it’s a...
If you thought Game 1 delivered the drama, Game 2 brought the swings—both literal and figurative. Two series are tied heading into the travel day, and two clubs now find themselves in a 2–0 hole. Here's how it all played out. Expos 3, Senators 0 — Clemens Slams the Door as Montreal Evens Series Roger Clemens didn’t just pitch the Expos to a win—he pitched them back into control. After Pedro Martinez’s 17-strikeout masterpiece went...