(c) Houston Astros |
Niekro shuts down Expos 2-0
by Harry Shattock, Houston Chronicle
August 28, 1982 - All four times Charlie Lea has pitched for Montreal against Houston this season, the result has been a shutout.
But, finally, the Astros made Lea the victim Saturday. Not only did they end the Expo right-hander's scoreless streak against them at 31 1/3 innings, but Houston pitcher Joe Niekro stifled Montreal's offense on six hits as the Astros won 2-0 before 38,185 chilled Olympic Stadium spectators.
Niekro became only the fourth pitch to win 100 games for the Astros, joining Larry Dierker (137), J.R. Richard (107) and Don Wilson (104) with that distinction. He had won 58 games before joining Houston in 1975.
Niekro's effort Saturday was typical of his overall 1982 performance which he repeatedly has called the most consistent of his career, more so even than in 1979 and 1980 when he was a 20-game winner.
Despite a frequent lack of run support, Niekro is 13-9 this year. "With ony six starts remaining, I guess 20 wins are out of the question," he said, smiling.
But with his second consecutive 2-0 triumph, Niekro joined Nolan Ryan (also 13-9) and Don Sutton (13-8) as contenders for Houston's best pitching record of the season.
Even with Niekro's superb mound work, the Astros still had to contend with the Lea Factor. In three previous games, they had managed nine hits off Lea, easily the most effective moundsman against them all year.
So Manager Bob Lillis called a pre-game meeting -- not a full team meeting. "We just got the starting lineup together, and kicked around a few ideas," Lillis said. "We figured we owed him one."
"I asked for suggestions. Everybody contributed. And I think everybody benefited. We talked about the guys who were overaggressive against Lea being more patient, and about the guys who were too patient being more aggressive."
"We didn't exactly hit him hard. Just call it timely hittig."
The Astros mustered only seven hits off Lea in 7 2/3 innings. But Art Howe's single and Luis Pujols' triple produced a fifth-inning run. And Dickie Thon's single, a wild pitch and Phil Garner's single delivered an eighth-inning run.
"I didn't know what to expect, because I didn't play against him in his other three starts," Pujols said. "But I did listen and learn in the pregame meeting. I think what we found out by talking it over was he had pitched differently to almost everybody."
"So what I did was just try to look for the ball, follow it closely and go with the pitch."
Pujols' RBI proved all Niekro needed, though the knuckle-ball specialist didn't breeze through the powerful Expos' lineup without tension.
Three times Montreal advanced runners to second base with one out only to be stymied by Niekro. And twice again, Niekro was aided by pivotal defensive plays.
The first assistance was provided by center fielder Tony Scott.
Warren Cromartie had opened the fourth inning with an infield single. With still nobody out, Andre Dawson blooped a hit into center field and Cromartie scooted toward third base.
Scott seemed to have little chance at throwing out Cromartie, but the runner took a wide detour between second and third base, then made a bad headfirst slide. Scott's throw was perfect, Cromartie was out and a potential big inning was defused.
Third baseman Howe helped rescue Niekro in the ninth inning.
After Joel Youngblood singled, Dawson, Al Oliver and Gary Carter -- a.k.a. Murderers Row -- were primed to bat.
Dawson's low grounder hit a seam on the artificial turf and bounced high, the kind of ball which usually goes for a bad-hop single. But Howe reacted remarkably fast. Not only did he glove the ball, but Howe started a double play.
"I've begun to expect bad hops here," Howe said. "It's the worst field in the league. Some holes are 1 or 2 inches deep. And after the (Canadian League) football game last night, they watered the whole field, which didn't help."
"I was fortunate, too, that I moved back a few steps before that swing. Dawson had been trying to bunt, but we got ahead on the count and I figured he'd be hacking."
Oliver followed with a routine grounder to Niekro. And Carter, hero of the Expos' double-header sweep over Houston on Thursday night, never got to bat.
Niekro didn't allow unusual August weather to adversely affect him. Sweltering Houstoniams may be comforted to know that autumn arrived here Friday. Winter followed Saturday, a light frost decorating the ground in suburbs during the morning and late-afternoon temperatures dipping back into the 40s.
"It was cold," Lillis said. "I had on a sweater and a jacket. Toward the end, I had to put on gloves."
The Expos' bats were cold, too. "It's especially satisfying to beat this team," Niekro said. "They've got one of the best lineups in the league. They've got good speed high in the order, and they've got good power."
"Joe mixed his pitches well against them," catcher Pujols said. "The last two games, he's thrown more fastballs and sliders instead of knuckle balls withmen on base."
"He kept them off balance today," Lillis said.
Shades of Charlie Lea.
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