Game 73: Ken Griffey Jr. hits two more home runs and Dave Burba pitches six shutout innings as the Spectres beat the Stingers 15-0 in the series opener. It's Burba's tenth win of the season.

Game 74: Montreal explodes for five in the sixth, scoring on both a bases-loaded walk and a bases-loaded HBP, then adds three more in the eighth to take a 10-7 win over Cincy. Robb Nen gets the final two outs for his 31st save.

Game 75: Ken Griffey Jr. homers in the first but the Spectres don't do much after that and Kelvim Escobar chokes up a 2-0 lead in the eighth, facing four batters, all of whom get base hits. Cincy rallies for a 3-2 win to avoid a sweep.

Montreal heads home to welcome the San Francisco 69ers to town.

Game 76: While the Spectres' first series with Frisco produced three low-scoring games, the opener of this second meeting is a slugfest. Kelvim Escobar is at the center of yet another bullpen meltdown as the 69ers rally from a 4-2 deficit to take a 7-4 lead, then respond yet again after the Spectres tie it, scoring three in the ninth to triumph, 10-7. Tino Martinez blasts three homers for the Niners.

Game 77: Ken Griffey Jr. continues his hot streak with another home run, and Edgardo Alfonzo has four hits as the Spectres bounce back to even up the series with a 7-3 win. Chuck Finley strikes out eight in five innings to get the win, and hits his a triple.

Game 78: Dave Burba allows 12 baserunners in six innings and Tino Martinez hits a late home run as the 69ers take the series with a 7-4 win over Montreal. Burba's record drops to 10-4 as Steve Woodard strikes out eight Spectre batters in seven innings.

Montreal will close the first half of the season with a trip to St. Louis to face the 48-30 Blue Storm.

Game 79: Bob Henley and Ricky Gutierrez both hit their third home run of the season, one in the eighth and one in the ninth, as the Spectres trade leads with the Blue Storm. Tied 4-4 in the ninth, Mike Remlinger relieves with a man on first. Mark Loretta doubles to advance the runner to third and Butch Huskey ends it with an RBI single. Spectres lose their third game in the last four, 5-4.

Game 80: Brady Anderson clubs a grand slam homer in the second inning and the Spectres roll to a 9-1 win over St. Louis, who tosses Danny Darwin out to face Bret Saberhagen. Sabes goes seven innings for the win, his ninth of the season.

Game 81: St. Louis' Justin Thompson pitches nine scoreless innings against the Spectres, but Montreal's staff matches him; Scott Erickson makes it through seven innings unscathed, and Kelvim Escobar follows with two shutout frames. With two down in the 10th, Bret Boone hits a solo homer to the opposite field. Robb Nen enters for Montreal and allows a leadoff single, but retires the next two hitters and needs do nothing more as Eddie Taubensee, in a very rare occurrence, throws Doug Glanville out trying to steal second.

Montreal finishes the first half at 54-27, leading Philadelphia by nine games for the division lead.

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Montreal places five players on the NL All Star team, including three pitchers (Bret Saberhagen, Dave Burba, and Robb Nen) plus Bret Boone and Ken Griffey Jr.

Montreal starts the second half at home, facing Houston

Game 82: Houston takes a 2-0 lead in the first and holds it until the eighth, when the Spectres tie things up. The game goes to extras and neither team can get anything done until the 12th, when Mike Remlinger's wild pitch puts Harold Baines in scoring position. Kevin Young follows with a single, which scores Baines (barely) ahead of Brady Anderson's throw. Montreal puts two men on base in the bottom half but Bret Boone and Ricky Gutierrez are retired to end the game.

Game 83: Houston scores two runs in each of the second, fourth, and sixth innings while Dave Mlicki shuts out the Spectres through seven, but Montreal stages a big rally and wins the game 8-6, scoring five in the eighth and three more in the bottom of the ninth. Ken Caminiti's three-run homer highlights the eighth; Bret Boone's three-run homer wins it in the ninth.

Game 84: Bret Boone is in the middle of another huge Montreal rally as the Spectres claim the series after losing the opener. Trailing 5-1 in the fifth, Boone's three-run homer sparks a five-run rally that puts the Spectres on top. Kelvim Escobar, Rick Aguilera, and Robb Nen combine for four scoreless innings to preserve the lead, Nen earning his 33rd save of the season.

Interleague play returns with series against Minnesota, Boston, and Orange County next on the schedule.

Game 85: The usually powerless Craig Counsell doubles in the first and homers in the seventh inning for the visiting MallRats, and John Lieber drives in Minnesota's first run in the second, as the Spectres fall behind 4-3 after seven despite homers from Ken Griffey Jr. and Carlos Delgado. Montreal loads the bases in the eighth, but Tony Phillips flies out to end the threat. Minnesota closer Todd Jones pitches the ninth and inexplicably walks leadoff hitter Sandy Martinez. Willie Greene comes in to hit for Eddie Guardado. BOOM!!!! Greene homers, hitting a long fly that barely reaches the seats, and the Spectres come through with another close victory, 5-4. Montreal is now an amazing 24-8 in one-run games this year, a streak that cannot possibly be sustained over a full season.

Game 86: Sandy Martinez makes a rare contribution, doubling home two runs in the seventh to tie the game at four. He later scores on a passed ball, but Rick Aguilera allows a two-run homer to Tony Clark in the bottom half and the MallRats earn a split with Montreal by taking an 8-5 decision at the Metrodome.

Game 87: Montreal's visit to Fenway is marked by another epic fail from the bullpen; Mike Remlinger surrenders four runs before retiring three batters and the Brawn bash their way to a 9-7 victory. Boston gets four scoreless innings from its bullpen. Perhaps their pitching coach is available.

Game 88: Dave Burba has helped himself out more often this season, contributing to his gaudy record. In Boston's visit to Olympic Stadium, he crushes a three-run homer in the second as Montreal takes a 5-2 lead. Ken Griffey Jr. helps out with two doubles and two RBI, and Robb Nen survives a shaky ninth to earn his 34th save as the Spectres win 6-5. Burba now has three homers and six RBI this season; he's scored 11 runs.

Game 89: Willie Blair allows 12 hits, including homers to Larry Walker, Jeff Bagwell, and Chris Gomez, as the host OC Choppers break open the game with an eight-run fifth inning. Montreal puts together a six-spot of their own, aided by a Tony Batista error, but the Choppers prevail, 11-8.

Game 90: The Spectres are helpless against Kevin Brown, who tosses a complete game 4-hit shutout to beat Bret Saberhagen, 6-0. Brown improves to 14-2 on the season. Larry Walker has four hits and scores three times for the Choppers.

The Spectres will head to Milwaukee to face the Krauts.

Game 91: Roberto Petagine returns to the lineup with a home run and two-run single as the Spectres take out a lot of frustration on the Krauts, pounding out 19 hits and scoring 18 runs. Ricky Gutierrez drives in four and Tony Phillips scores four. Scott Erickson pitches seven solid innings for his seventh win.

Game 92: Chuck Finley tires late; Milwaukee scores three in the seventh to take a 4-3 lead. Ken Griffey Jr. homers in the eighth to tie the score, but Kelvim Escobar has trouble in the bottom half; Al Martin singles home Todd Helton to give Milwaukee the lead. Montreal gets a hit in the ninth but to no effect; Milwaukee wins 5-4.

Game 93: Roberto Petagine homers again and the Spectre bullpen contributes four scoreless innings as the Riders beat Milwaukee 6-2. Dave Burba doesn't contribute at the plate today (0-3, 3 Ks, 5 LOB) but makes it through five and earns his 12th win.

The Spectres head to LA to face the Looters.

Game 94: LA breaks a 1-1 tie with two in the eighth and send in Mike Fetters to close things out. With one down, the Spectres get three consecutive singles to load the bases. Ken Griffey Jr., reigning MVP, comes to the plate. He pops out. Carlos Delgado strides to the plate. Buddy Groom, a y, is warming up. Fetters stays in the game. Delgado lines one to the corner, and it takes an odd bounce off the wall. Three runners score, Delgado has a triple. Robb Nen pitches a perfect bottom half and the Spectres win, 4-3.

Game 95: Montreal gets 11 hits, including three homers, but the Looters match their home run total and score six times to Montreal's four; LA evens the series.

Game 96: Montreal pounds three more homers, to none for LA, but this is still a close one. Ken Griffey Jr. and Bret Boone homer in the sixth to erase a 6-2 deficit, but Mo Vaughn drives home a run in the bottom half of the inning to give LA a 7-6 lead. Boone singles in the eighth and goes to third on Brady Anderson's double; Willie Greene singles them both home against Buddy Groom. Eddie Guardado and Robb Nen pitch a perfect inning each to wrap up the 8-7 win.

The Spectres finally return home, ready to face the Central leading Bootleggers.

but is Groom a y Specialist

I KNOW!!!!!

Game 97: The Spectres are very inefficient in the opener, collecting 12 hits but scoring just one time as the Bootleggers win 5-1. Chuck Finley strikes out 12 batters but suffers the loss, dropping to 7-5.

Game 98: Dave Burba is outpitched by Kevin Tapani as the Bootleggers take their second straight at Olympic Stadium, 4-2. Ken Griffey Jr. doubles home a run, giving him 99 RBI for the season.

Game 99: Montreal scores three in the second on a bases-loaded walk and Willie Blair's single and hold on for a 6-4 win, avoiding a sweep at the hands of the Bootleggers. Robb Nen pitches a scoreless ninth for his 37th save.

The Spectres leave for the West Coast to face San Diego.

Game 100: y Scott Karl would seem to be just the kind of pitcher the Spectres would destroy, but he allows only four hits in eight innings and the Conquistadors open the series with an 8-0 shutout of the Spectres. Bret Saberhagen takes the loss, dropping to 9-4.

Game 101: The Spectre slide continues despite Ken Griffey Jr.'s 36th home run, which gives him 100 RBI for the season. The rest of the lineup is much less effective and San Diego scores four off Bob Wickman late to turn the game into an 8-2 laugher.

Game 102: For the second straight series, the Spectres manage to avoid a sweep by taking the finale. The bats get most of the credit in this one as Montreal smashes seven balls over the fence in a 10-4 win. Eddie Taubensee hits two, giving him three for the season and drives in four.

Montreal returns home to host Cincinnati.

Game 103: The increasingly pathetic Montreal offense manages only a solo homer by Edgardo Alfonzo as they are dominated by Cincinnati's Sterling Hitchcock, who tosses seven innings in a 3-1 win for the Stingers. Dave Burba pitches well for Montreal but takes the loss, dropping to 12-6.

Game 104: Montreal changes up their pattern a bit, winning the second game of a series for a change. Willie Blair allows 13 hits in only 5.2 innings but minimizes the damage on the scoreboard. Montreal uses a series of bases-loaded walks to key a seven-run third inning and holds on for a 7-4 win.

Game 105: Eddie Taubensee cracks his fourth homer in the second, Montreal adds two more in the third, and Bret Saberhagen gets his 10th win as the Spectres hold on for a 5-3 win over the Stingers. Robb Nen pitches a perfect ninth for his 39th save.

Montreal heads to Frisco to face the hated Niners.

Game 106: Montreal takes an early 5-1 lead, then slowly gives it away, finally allowing the tying run in the bottom of the ninth due to errors by Edgardo Alfonzo and Bret Boone. It's Robb Nen's fifth blown save of the season and clearly not his fault. Freddy Garcia hits a two-run pinch-hit double in the 10th to put the Spectres back on top, but Mike Remlinger is not up to the task of putting the game away. He gives up a walk and a double to set the stage for Kelly Stinnett's pinch hit homer. Niners win 8-7.

Game 107: Eddie Taubensee hits a three-run homer in the second and Chuck Finley strikes out 10 batters as the Spectres hand Kerry Wood his second loss of the season in a 4-3 decision. Robb Nen pitches a scoreless ninth for his 40th save; Wood drops to 14-2.

Game 108: Brant Brown and Ken Griffey Jr. score twice each and Dave Burba goes seven innings as the Spectres take the series from Frisco with a 4-2 win. Robb Nen strikes out the side in the ninth to earn another save.

Montreal will host Central-leading St. Louis next.