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  Tuesday, Jun. 20 7:05pm ET
Bucs' Benson bests Expos
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

MONTREAL (AP) -- Kris Benson pitched his best in the toughest situation.

Benson
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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