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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MONTREAL (AP) -- The San Francisco Giants recovered from a rough
start to finish with a winning road trip.
Barry Bonds hit his 36th homer and Bobby Estalella hit a
three-run homer to lead the Giants over Montreal 5-4 Thursday for a
three-game sweep of the Expos.
| | Barry Bonds watches his 36th home run of the season leave the park as Expos catcher Michael Barrett looks on in the fifth inning Thursday. |
Shawn Estes (12-3) won his seventh straight decision, allowing
three runs and five hits in 7 1-3 inning with six strikeouts and
three walks.
San Francisco has won four straight after losing the first three
games of its road trip against the Mets. The Giants lead
second-place Arizona by 1½ games in the NL West.
"We tried to finish our road trip strong and we needed the
win," Estes said. "We need to stay above .500 on these road trips."
Montreal, which completed an 0-7 homestand, has lost 12 of its
last 13 home games. "I think they are giving it their best," Expos manager Felipe
Alou said. "It's not like a horse that you're going to whip and
make it run harder, that's not the way it works here."
With the Expos trailing 5-1, Jose Vidro hit a three-run homer
off Doug Henry with two outs in the eighth.
"He makes you choose which way to face him," Giants manager
Dusty Baker said of the switch-hitter. "He's hitting .400
right-handed, so we tried to turn him around but it didn't work."
Geoff Blum, who went 3-for-4, doubled off Alan Embree leading
off the ninth and advanced on Andy Tracy's groundout. Felix Rodriguez relieved and retired Michael Barrett on a
groundout to second baseman Jeff Kent as Blum held at third.
Rodriguez then struck out Terry Jones for his third save in seven chances.
"It's heartening to a point to know that we can rally and get
some runs and get back in the game," Blum said. "But it would be
that much more if we could get over the hump and beat some people."
Trey Moore (1-3) gave up all five runs and eight hits in 4 2-3
innings.
J.T. Snow's RBI single put San Francisco ahead in a four-run
fourth that included Estalella's homer. Blum hit a run-scoring double in the bottom half, but Bonds
homered for the second straight game to make it 5-1 in the fifth.
The ball struck a speaker suspended above right field from the
Olympic Stadium roof. With the bases loaded later in the inning, Expos reliever Julio
Santana, struck out Estalella, ending the threat.
Game notes Giants RF Marvin Benard bunted for singles in each of his
first two at-bats. He tried again in the fifth and was thrown out
by Moore. ... Bonds has 28 homers at Olympic Stadium, the most by
an opposing player and two more than Mike Schmidt. Including six
homers at Jarry Park, Schmidt hit a record 32 at Montreal. ...
Expos LF Peter Bergeron left with a bruised left thumb and was
taken to a hospital for X-rays, which were negative. ... Lenny
Webster, who was taken out of the starting lineup just prior to the
game, has a strained right elbow. X-rays were negative. ... The
Expos' worst homestand was an 0-8 performance against Los Angeles,
San Diego and San Francisco from May 27-June 4, 1969.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
San Francisco Clubhouse
Montreal Clubhouse
Kurkjian: Giant strides
RECAPS
Kansas City 8 Minnesota 4
Baltimore 5 Chi. White Sox 3
Boston 8 Texas 7
NY Yankees 6 Anaheim 1
NY Mets 13 Colorado 2
San Francisco 5 Montreal 4
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