Game 17: Montreal takes a 5-1 lead with two in the eighth and turns it over to Jose Paniagua. FAIL. Three batters later it's 5-4 and the Cosmos score another three runs before the carnage ends. Montreal puts two on in the ninth but Ken Caminiti flies out and Geoff Jenkins strikes out to end it. New York wins, 7-5.

Game 18: Robb Nen suffers his second blown save, allowing a two-run homer to Phil Nevin in the ninth that ends a shutout bid by the Spectres and ties the game at two, but Nelson Figueroa walks two batters in in the 10th to put Montreal back on top, 4-2. Nen then allows a homer to David Justice in the bottom half and Luther Hackman is called on to get the final two outs as Montreal evens the series with a 4-3 win.

Game 19: Herbert Perry's pinch-hit, two-run double sparks a four-run seventh for the Cosmos and their bullpen shuts down the Spectres to give New York a 6-3 victory.

Game 20: New York takes the series three games to one as the Spectres are 3-hit in the finale by Tim Wakefield and Nelson Figueroa. Dave Burba, however, gets shelled and the Cosmos romp, 12-2.

Interleague sets with Kansas City and Detroit are next on the schedule.

Game 21: Another short outing by a Spectre starting pitcher puts the team in a bad situation.. Jim Brower leaves in the third having surrendered eight runs and the Blue Devils win 13-2. Montreal has to use six relievers; the team throws 187 pitches in the game. Things will be rough until the bullpen recovers.

Game 22: Barry Bonds blasts two home runs and Curt Schilling throws 7.2 scoreless innings to lead the Blue Devils past the Spectres, 9-3.

Game 23: Melvin Mora and Bret Boone have three hits each and the Spectres score three in the seventh to beat Detroit 4-3.

Game 24: Playing at Montreal, the Spectres get a two-run triple from prospect Ned Taphorn and a two-run single from Edgardo Alfonzo to beat the Facerockers 6-3. Robb Nen gets his third save.

Philadelphia is in town next to complete the first round of divisional play.

Game 25: Edgardo Alfonzo and Carlos Delgado hit three-run homers in the second and third, respectively, and Omar Daal pitches into the eighth as the Spectres beat the Seaphils 8-3 to open the series.

Game 26: Ken Griffey Jr. and Bret Boone hit home runs to help Dave Burba get his first win of the season, 10-3 over Philadelphia.

Game 27: Montreal wastes no time taking this game over, scoring two in the first, two in the second, and five more in the fourth. Jim Brower pitches six scoreless innings, becoming the second member of the rotation to get his first win in two days; Spectres win 9-3.

Game 28: Kelvim Escobar remains winless as the Seaphils salvage the series finale, 9-1. Juan Gonzalez drives in seven runs with two home runs and a double. Escobar drops to 0-3.

Interleague sets with Cleveland and Seattle are up next.

Game 29: Bret Boone drives in three runs and pitcher Joe Kennedy hits a home run to help his own cause as Montreal beats the visiting Classics 6-3. Kennedy goes five innings for the win, his first decision of the season.

Game 30: Freddy Garcia works his magic on the Spectre bats and Montreal drops a 5-1 decision at Jacobs Field. Chuck Finley takes the loss, only his second decision (both losses) of the season.

Game 31: Brad Penny allows Montreal only an unearned run in eight innings of work and the Emeralds shut down the Spectres, 5-1, at Olympic Stadium.

Game 32: Montreal hits five home runs and gets 4.2 scoreless innings from the bullpen to split with Seattle, winning 8-5 at Safeco.

We head down the coast to face Los Angeles next.

Game 33: The Looters have two big innings, a seven-run fourth and a five-run eighth, and blow out the Spectres 12-3.

Game 34: The Looters lay waste to the Spectres again, limiting Montreal to a solo homer by Russ Davis in a 10-1 decision.

Game 35: Joe Kennedy improves to 2-0 as the Spectres hit three home runs to salvage the finale in LA, beating the Looters 7-3.

Interleague sets with Orange County and Oakland will keep us (partially) on the West Coast.

Hi kermit!

Can I join?

Game 36: Hosting OC, the Spectres and Choppers combine for an offensive explosion that leaves the game tied 10-10 after only six innings. Shockingly, the bats go quiet after that and the score remains knotted at 10 after 11 innings. Shannon Stewart hits a two-run homer in the 12th off Luther Hackman, and the Spectres go down in order in the bottom half to drop a 12-10 decision.

Game 37: Omar Daal pitches seven innings, collects two hits, scores a run and drives in another as the Spectres even things with the Choppers, winning 9-4 at OC.

Game 38: Derek Jeter hits an RBI grounder and a three-run homer to put Oakland up 6-1 early, but with two outs and one on in the bottom of the ninth, Montreal gets five straight hits (four off Juan Acevedo) to rally for a 7-6 win. Ruben Sierra drives in the winner.

Game 39: Jim Brower's ERA jumps to 8.91 as he allows eight runs in 3.2 innings and his record falls to 1-5 as the Amoeba outslug the Spectres, 9-7. Ron Gant hits two homers and drives in five for Oakland.

The Spectres head back home to host San Diego, currently boasting the top record in the NL at 26-13.

Game 40: San Diego outslugs Montreal, 9-7, roughing up Kelvim Escobar for eight runs before he leaves in the fifth. Escobar falls to 0-5 with a 12.00 ERA.

Game 41: Montreal gets 10 hits but San Diego starting pitcher Daryl Kile hits an RBI single and a two-run homer to lift the Conquistadors to a 6-3 win.

Game 42: The Spectres get nine shutout innings from their pitchers but it's not enough.. San Diego scores a run in the 10th and Edgardo Alfonzo grounds into a game-ending double play with runners at the corners as Montreal is swept, losing the finale 1-0.

Having just faced the West Division leader, Montreal heads to Milwaukee to face the Central-leading Krauts.

Game 43: It's an embarrassing day at the ballpark as Milwaukee's Jimmy Haynes shuts out the Spectres for six innings. Montreal fares no better against the Kraut bullpen and absorbs a 10-0 beating in the series opener.

Game 44: Milwaukee scores four in the first off Dave Burba and runs away with a 10-3 win behind Mark Mulder (6-1).

Game 45: Montral drops its seventh straight contest, losing the series finale in Milwaukee 6-4 when a ninth inning rally falls short.

Back home to face Cincinnati.

Game 46: The Spectres get no extra base hits, but they string together enough singles to put a win on the board, 4-3 over the Stingers, getting 4.1 scoreless innings from the bullpen. The winner scores on Carlos Delgado's ninth-inning single off Sterling Hitchcock.

Game 47: Jolbert Cabrera hits a three-run homer off Jose Paniagua in the eighth and the Stingers come back for a 4-3 win in Game 2 of the series.

Game 48: Jolbert Cabrera continues to punish Montreal pitching, collecting four hits and two doubles, as the Stingers take the series with a 5-3 decision in the finale.

Interleague play returns with home-and-homes against the top two teams in the AL East, Baltimore and Boston.

Game 49: The Aureoles score early and often, getting an inside-the-park home run from Troy Glaus in the first, and cruise to an 11-2 win over the Spectres in Montreal. The Spectres don't score until the ninth inning.

Game 50: Baltimore scores five runs in the third off Dave Burba, then cruises to a 5-1 victory, giving Julian Tavarez his first win of the season.

Game 51: Boston easily outslugs the Spectres, 10-7, at Fenway, as Jim Browers drops to 1-7. Spectres have now lost 12 of 13.

Game 52: Jayson Dorgan has three hits, including a double and a triple, and Kelvim Escobar somehow outpitches Roger Clemens as the Spectres even things up with Boston, winning 10-3 at Montreal. Ramon Hernandez drives in four.

Hated Frisco is in town for a three-game set next.

Game 53: Joe Kennedy outpitches CC Sabathia and the Spectres get three scoreless innings from the bullpen to preserve a 2-1 victory over the Niners.

Game 54: Ruben Sierra has three hits and four RBI to lead the Spectres to another win over Frisco, 9-4.

Game 55: Frisco avoids being swept by the Spectres, getting a fantastic performance from starting pitcher Jimmy Anderson and some timely hitting to win the finale, 8-1.

The second round of divisional play is upon us, with Montreal heading to Pittsburgh to face the Melons.

Game 56: Dave Burba goes seven strong innings for his second win of the season as Montreal beats the Melons 6-2 despite being outhit 8-6.

Game 57: Montreal gets 10 hits, but only one for extra bases... it's not enough to match the Melons today as Pittsburgh dominates the Spectres 9-3. Jim Brower takes yet another loss, falling to 1-8 on the season.

Game 58: Ken Griffey Jr. hits a two-run single in the 10th inning and the Spectres go on toa 5-2 win over Pittsburgh to win the series. Robb Nen gets the save, only his eighth of the season.

The first place Cosmos are in town next.

Game 59: A great pitching performance by Joe Kennedy (six scoreless innings) is wasted as Robb Nen implodes in the ninth; New York scores three times to take a 3-1 victory in the series opener. Montreal gets a leadoff single in the bottom half but nothing more.

Game 60: Montreal survives Phil Nevin's three-hit, five-RBI game to beat the Cosmos in 11, getting a bases-loaded single from Ramon Hernandez to bring home the deciding run. Tomo Ohka (2-1) gets the win in relief.

Game 61: Montreal falls behind 3-0 in the first, battles back to take the lead on Ricky Gutierrez' fifth-inning home run, but then falls behind 5-4 in the seventh. Bret Boone beats out a relay in the bottom half to tie the score at five. New York fails to score in the eighth and ninth.. Melvin Mora leads off the ninth for Montreal. Ricky Gutierrez follows.. HERO!!! He triples to the corner, Mora scores, and the Spectres take the series with a 6-5 win.

Now it's off to Philadelphia to face the Seaphils.

Game 62: The Spectres get the bats going and amass 16 hits en route to a 9-4 win to open the series in Philly.

Game 63: An error by Ned Taphorn in the second ultimately leads to a grand slam by Juan Gonzalez and six unearned runs for the Seaphils. The Spectres fall, 8-4, and Jim Brower takes another loss, falling to 1-9.

Game 64: Sidney Ponson pitches five shutout innings and gets his first win of the season as the Seaphils explode for 15 runs while shutting out the Spectres. Embarrassing.

The Spectres were 5-4 in this round of divisional play and moved within a game of the Cosmos for the division lead. A quick interleague set with Washington is next.