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  Monday, Aug. 7 10:05pm ET
Expos have no defense for D-Backs
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | 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
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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Montreal Clubhouse

Arizona Clubhouse


Diamondbacks target Sept. 3 as tentative return for Stottlemyre


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