GAME 1 (Municipal Stadium - KC) Expos 9, Royals 7
To sum up this game in a nutshell one would advertise it as "Pitching, need not apply". Both teams trotted out their respective aces. What they got were two jokers that were very wild. Dennis "El Presidente" Martinez did get the win, but he should not have much pride in the fact that he surrendered 7 runs in only 6 innings of work. Every time his team's offense gave him a nice lead he found it in heart to be generous enough to give some back. KC starter Paul Splittorff was even more generous. The Royals lefty surrendered 6 runs in 4 innings of work. His replacement Bruce Dal Canton was just as pitiful yielding 3 runs in 2 innings. The difference in the game was the Expo bullpen, which held the fort down after Martinez was finally relieved of his duties. For those who like to see baseball games with football scores this was your kind of game. The Expos wasted no time, by jumping all over Splittorff for 3 quick 1st inning runs. Hubie Brooks picked up his teammate Andres Galarraga, who fanned, by smashing a 3 run shot to draw first blood. KC clawed back to tie it with 1 in the first and 2 in the second by playing some scrappy small ball, which was very effective. KC manager, Milo Miller said, "I guess I'm not Earl Weaver...since I don't play for the 3 run homer". Miller is a smart man, who knows the talent level of his team's personnel. If he sat back and played for the 3 run homer he wouldn't be managing in this fall
classic. Montreal played a little small ball themselves and carried a 6-3 lead into the 6th frame. Usually that type of lead is safe with Martinez on the mound, but not this evening. The bottom of the 6th saw the Royals post 4 runs and take a 1 run lead. In the process Martinez was chased from the hill and the hometown fans were ecstatic. The 6th saw John Mayberry lead off with a walk (the fifth by Martinez on the day). Martinez, who struggled with his control all day clipped Sweet Lou Piniella on the left thigh. Up stepped Royal catcher Ed Kirkpatrick, who was only hitting .368 with 4 HR's with runner in scoring postion. Kirkpatrick crushed Martinez' 1-0 offering and watched the ball sail over Mitch Webster's head in center. When the dust cleared Kirkpatrick was standing on second with a double and Mayberry and Piniella were exchanging high fives on their way back to the duguout. Schaal then grounded to Wallach at third for the 1st out of the inning. Up stepped Fred Patek, who might be short in stature, but he's real big when it comes to heart. Patek, down 0-2 in the count fought off what seamed to be Martinez' best pitch of the day and dropped it into left field to score Kirkpatrick and tie the game. Bruce Dal Canton (goat), allowed to hit for himself left a dribbler in front of the plate, which in essence worked out like a sac bunt as it moved Patek over to thrid with 2 outs. On the next pitch lead off man "Famous" Amos Otis singled and KC had a 1 run lead. The top of the 7th would be both KC's and Dal Canton's undoing. I'm sure if manager Miller had a crystal ball and could see the future, he would have lifted Bruce for a pinch hitter in the 6th. Unfortunately managing is a lot like driving blind. You have to trust your instincts and you hope the road ahead is clear. This road was going to be filled with lots of pot holes and sharp turns. Rex Hudler led off the inning with a homer to tie it at 7 off a knuckler that still hasn't knuckled. Right fielder Richie Scheinblum could only look up and watch it sail over his head. The Rock, Tim Raines followed that up with a clean single between Schaal and Patek. At this point Dal Canton was rattled and knowing that Raines can flat out fly he began paying more attention to the runner (Raines) than the batter Andres Galarraga (hero). This proved to be a fatal mistake, since El Ghatto can flat out swing the lumber. Dal Canton finally delivered one to 
the plate that again did not knuckle. Apparently he tried to over throw it, which we all know inhibits the kuckler from dancing. Galarraga turned on it and the only question that was left to be answereed was: "fair or foul". The answer was fair, and just like that Montreal was up by 2. KC went quietly in the bottom of the 7th as lefty Joe Hesketh fanned Mayberry and Piniella after getting Scheinblum to ground to second. Tim Burke came on to work a scoreless 8th and got the first 2 outs in the 9th, before walking Scheiblum on 5 pitches. Prior to that walk the Expos might have pulled off the defensive gem of the series. Facing a 1-2 count, Cookie Rojas hit one up the middle that Rex Hudler dove for and barely got. Hudler had no ability to get up and throw, but he alertly flipped to shortstop Luis Rivera who nailed Rojas by a stride. Without that play Montreal would have been facing John Mayberry with 1 out and runners on 1st and second. Instead, big John came up with a man on first and 2 down. At this point Tim Burke, who had done a fine job in relief was lifted for Neal Heaton to give the Expos the coveted lefty/lefty matchup. Mayberry
kills righthanded pitching and Burke struggles vs southpaws. Heaton, who was added to the roster after sitting out the first 2 post season series, got a called strike on the inside corner on his first pitch. Mayberry, who struggles vs lefties, decided to jump on the next offering, an offspeed pitch on the outside corner. Big John didn't get good wood on it and when the ball comfortably came to rest in Mitch Webster's glove about 20 feet in front of the warning track the game was over. Heaton notched a 2 pitch save in a very tense situation. The Expos came out alive with a win, but KC served notice that they were a scrappy lot they will not quit.
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