Game 29: Daryl Kile strikes out 13 Spectres but allows two home runs to Ken Griffey Jr., who drives in all four Montreal runs in a one-run victory. Robb Nen gets through a complete inning for a change, earning his fifth save of the season.

Game 30: Chicago's Kevin Foster strikes out 12 and pitches a complete game 2-hitter as the White Sox beat Montreal 6-0 to split the series. Foster adds a three-run double to help his own cause.

Game 31: Washington comes to town and deals Montreal a second consecutive 6-0 loss, behind Andy Petitte. The Spectres get only four hits. Alex Fernandez strikes out 11 in seven innings but all for naught.

Game 32: Scott Erickson has his first poor start, the Spectres manage only five hits (none off the Commando bullpen), and lose in the 10th on Wil Cordero's double. Washington sweeps the Spectres with a 5-4 decision.

Montreal heads to LA to face the 21-11 Looters.

Game 33: Ken Caminiti hits two three-run home runs and the Spectres survive a late-inning meltdown by the bullpen to beat the Looters 10-7. Chuck Finley gets the win and Brian Moehler takes his first loss of the season for LA.

Game 34: Jay Buhner hits a three-run homer in the first, the Spectres add solo shots in each of the sixth, seventh, and eighth, and the bullpen pitches well as Montreal defeats LA, 6-2.

Game 35: Montreal gets only seven hits, but two of them are home runs by Raul Casanova and Robb Nen works an 8-pitch ninth for his sixth save as the Spectres beat LA 6-5.

More interleague play is next as the Spectres will face Oakland and OC.

Game 36: Noted steroid user FP Santangelo blasts a home run off Alex Fernandez and the Spectres are shut down by Andy Benes and two Oakland relievers as they fall, 4-0. Fernandez hits his fourth double of the season(!)

Game 37: Scott Erickson is outpitched by prospect Leif Thomas as the Spectre bats go silent once again. Oakland sweeps Montreal with a 5-1 win. Montreal gets only four hits.

Game 38: Mike Hampton extends the Spectre slump, throwing a 2-hit shutout. Chuck Finley allows two home runs and six runs in five innings as the Choppers dominate, 10-0.

Game 39: Montreal is shut out again, managing only three hits against Kevin Brown and wasting a decent performance from Dave Burba. Orange County win 5-0 and the Spectres have lost four straight, scoring only one run in those games.

At one time the league leader in runs scored, the Spectres have dropped out of the top five as they prepare to host Cincinnati.

Game 40: Edgardo Alfonzo's grand slam caps a five-run sixth, giving the Spectres a 6-2 lead, but Bob Wickman gives it all back in the seventh and the Stingers tie the game when Brady Anderson drops a Gary Gaetti fly ball. Gaetti's ninth-inning fly ball also scores a run, though it's caught, and the Stingers lead 7-6. John Franco enters the game for Cincy; Ken Griffey Jr. singles to lead off and scores the tying run on Ken Caminiti's one-out double. Carlos Delgado bounces to second and Willie Greene is walked to bring Raul Casanova to the plate. Casanova singles! Caminiti scores, and the Spectres take the opener 8-7, snapping a four-game skid.

Game 41: Sandy Alomar Jr. hits a bases-loaded double off Alex Fernandez in the first, and Cincinnati is off to the races. They score single runs in each of the next two innings as well to take a 5-0 lead. Montreal gets three back in the third and loads the bases with one out, but can't get any closer. The bats are silent after that, and the Stingers even the series with a 7-3 win.

Game 42: Scott Erickson gets back on track, tossing 8.2 innings of 1-run ball, and the Spectres get two RBI from Jay Buhner in beating the Stingers 3-1.

Montreal heads to San Diego to face the Conquistadors (25-17).

Game 43: Alex Rodriguez and Jose Canseco hit consecutive home runs off Chuck Finley in the first, and Shawn Estes uses that lead to pitch aggressively; San Diego shuts out the Spectres 3-0 as Montreal manages only four hits.

Game 44: Dave Burba pitches five shutout innings and Jay Buhner has four hits, including his eighth home run, as the Spectres beat the Conquistadors 5-1 to even the series. Robb Nen gets his eighth save, retiring Jason Giambi for the final out in the ninth with runners on second and third.

Game 45: Ken Griffey Jr. hits his first home run in what seems like a long time in the first inning, and Carlos Delgado adds another in the second. Bob Wickkman, however, has another horrible outing and San Diego ties the score at six with a five-run seventh. Ken Caminiti snaps the tie with a grand slam in the eighth and Robb Nen pitches a scoreless ninth to preserve a 10-7 win.

The Spectres return home to host Chicago, our first meeting with the Bootleggers this season.

Game 46: This one is a scoreless pitchers' duel between Alex Fernandez and Woody Williams for seven frames, but the Bootleggers pinch hit for Williams during the eighth and bring Mark Guthrie in to relieve. He walks the first three batters he faces, then allows a two-run single. Kevin Tapani relieves Guthrie and lets both inherited runners score. Fernandez pitches a scoreless ninth for a 4-0 shutout win.

Game 47: Raul Casanova clubs a three-run homer and Scott Erickson pitches eight scoreless innings as the Spectres down Chicago, 5-0. Erickson improves to 7-1. Greg Gagne has three hits and Ken Griffey Jr. drives in the other two Spectre runs with a double.

Game 48: Dave Burba allows two solo home runs, but only one other hit in eight innings of work. Montreal gets five doubles and a home run among 12 hits and beats the Bootleggers 5-2. Ken Caminiti homers and drives home three runs.

More interleague play is next for Montreal as they face Kansas City and Baltimore. The Spectres have not fared well against the PL this season, dropping eight of 12 matchups so far.

Game 49: Kevin Polcovich's RBI single gives KC a 4-0 lead in the sixth; Ken Caminiti halves that lead in the bottom of the inning with his 13th home run, but the score remains 4-2 through the eighth. Joe Crawford pitches the ninth for KC. Tony Phillips, pinch hitting, doubles, then moves to third on Carlos Hernandez' single. An error by Jeff Cirillo brings a run home and makes it a one-run game. Willie Greene pinch hits for Bob Wickman and crushes a three-run homer, giving Montreal a 6-4 win.

Game 50: In a back-and-forth affair, Montreal takes a 2-0 lead in the first only to see Jim Edmonds blast a three-run homer in the bottom half. The teams alternate scores after that, with KC scoring last with a run in the seventh. Montreal strands three runners over the final two innings and drops a 6-5 decision.

Game 51: Alex Fernandez comes within an out of throwing a complete game, failing largely due to Greg Gagne's ninth inning error, but the Spectres hold on for a 7-5 win over Baltimore. Montreal hits three home runs, including one by Gagne, and Robb Nen gets his 11th save.

Game 52: Greg Gagne and Tony Phillips commit key errors, Baltimore scores four unearned runs, and Danny Darwin keeps the Spectre bats in check as the Aureoles even things up with a 10-4 win.

Montreal is now 6-10 in interleague play. The Spectres head home to face San Francisco before the second round of divisional play begins.

Game 53: Greg Gagne commits another costly error, leading to three unearned runs, but "evens things up" with three RBI at the plate, and the Spectres overcome a short outing by Scott Erickson (5 innings, 80 pitches) to beat the 69ers 11-7. Brady Anderson hits a three-run home run and Edgardo Alfonzo has four hits. Ken Caminiti is 3-5 but still strands six runners, making outs twice with the bases loaded.

Game 54: Ken Griffey Jr. blasts two home runs, the Spectres go error-free, and Chuck Finley makes only two mistakes, both ending as solo home runs for Paul Sorrento, as the Spectres beat Frisco for the second straight game, 8-2.

Game 55: Steve Cooke baffles the Spectres with a variety of off-speed garbage and pitches a complete game shutout as the Niners salvage the series finale, 4-0. Willie Blair allows only one run in six innings but takes the loss, dropping his record to 3-4.

The Spectres begin the second round of divisional play with a visit from Philadelphia, winners of eight games in their last 10 and currently in second place.

Game 56: Alex Fernandez scores on Greg Gagne's fourth-inning single, which is shortly followed by homers from Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgardo Alfonzo, giving the Spectres an 8-3 lead; Fernandez keeps Philly in check thereafter and Montreal takes the opener 9-4.

Game 57: Dave Burba strikes out 10 and Ken Griffey Jr. hits his 18th home run as the Spectres beat Philly 6-4. Greg Gagne has three hits and reaches base four times to help Burba get his sixth win.

Game 58: Scott Erickson is shelled and Mike Mussina is dominant as the Keystones destroy the Spectres 14-1. Mussina pitches a complete game 2-hitter, allowing only a solo home run to Ken Griffey Jr. in the ninth, while his offense blasts three longballs off the Spectres.

Montreal will host the Cosmos next.

Game 59: Mark McGwire hits two home runs in the first three innings and the Cosmos take an early 4-2 lead. Chuck Finley settles down after that but the Cosmos add runs in the seventh off Bob Wickman and the eighth off Eddie Guardado, extending the lead to 6-2. Cosmos starter Bobby Witt stays in for the eighth and allows a two-run homer to Carlos Delgado with one down. Willie Greene singles, Jay Buhner walks, and Bret Boone pops out. With two down, Raul Casanova lines a single to center. Edgardo Alfonzo pinch hits and blasts one to center for a double.. Casanova beats the throw home and Montreal leads 7-6. Robb Nen allows a single to Mark McGwire in the ninth but keeping him in the park is important and Nen closes things out for the save.

Game 60: Montreal scores three times in the first and twice more in the second, taking a 5-1 lead, but does nothing at the plate thereafter, and the bullpen earns a huge "F" for their performance as the Cosmos rally for three in the eighth to score an 8-5 win to even the series. Mark McGwire hits two more homers for the Cosmos.

Game 61: Mark McGwire hits another home run, giving him five for the series, but Alex Fernandez mostly contains his teammates and strikes out 13 as the Spectres win the series with a 7-3 decision. Edgardo Alfonzo hits two home runs for Montreal and Ken Caminiti hits two doubles.

The Spectres head to Pittsburgh to face the Melons.

Game 62: Pittsburgh ambushes Dave Burba early, taking a 5-0 lead, but the Spectres battle back. Raul Casanova hits a two-run single in the sixth and Carlos Delgado puts Montreal in the lead with a seventh-inning homer; Ken Griffey Jr. adds an insurance homer in the ninth and Robb Nen closes out a 7-5 victory.

Game 63: Hideo Nomo shrugs off his 2-5 record and pitches a no-hitter against the Spectres, striking out 15 and walking two. Pittsburgh scores four off Scott Erickson and wins 4-0, dropping Erickson's record to 8-3.

Game 64: Montreal outhits the Melons 8-5, but Pittsburgh's Tom Lampkin hits a two-run homer off Eddie Guardado in the seventh to give the Melons a 4-3 lead. Bob Wickman walks three batters in the eighth to load the bases, then uncorks a wild pitch, making it a 5-3 game. The Spectres put two men on base in the ninth but, true to the form of the day, leave them stranded and drop the series finale.

Interleague set next with PL East leaders Boston (36-28).

Game 65: An error by Willie Greene leads to three unearned Boston runs in the first off Chuck Finley. Finley leaves after five with the score 3-2. The Montreal bullpen then pitches five more scoreless innings, but the hitters can do no more than tie the game in the seventh. In the 11th, Raul Casanova leads off with a single but the next three batters are retired. Bob Wickman pitches the bottom half, gives up three straight hits, and loses a 4-3 decision in 11.

Game 66: Dave Burba holds the Brawn offense in check; Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgardo Alfonzo hit two-run homers, and the Spectres earn a split with Boston by winning their home game, 5-1.

The Spectres head to St. Louis to face the Central-leading Blue Storm (45-21)

Game 67: St. Louis puts the hammer down, bashing 17 hits (12 off starter Alex Fernandez) in the opener and cruising to an easy 15-4 win. Montreal's defense doesn't help much, committing three errors, all of which result in unearned runs. Ken Griffey Jr. hits his 24th home run for the Spectres.

Game 68: Greg Maddux pitches a gem and Scott Erickson drops another decision as the Blue Storm win 4-1. Geronimo Berroa hits an early two-run homer for St. Louis and Erickson drops to 8-4.

Game 69: Montreal rallies for three runs in the eighth to take a 4-3 lead, but Robb Nen has nothing in the ninth and Bob Wickman walks home the winning run as the Spectres are swept in St. Louis, 5-4.

Montreal's lead over Philly has been trimmed to seven games; the Spectres head home to face Houston.

Game 70: Edgar Martinez hits two homers off Chuck Finley and the Spectres commit four errors as the Lone Stars win convincingly, 8-1, in the series opener.

Game 71: Montreal drops its fifth straight contest, 3-2 to Houston, limited to five hits by Rick Reed and a group of Lone Star relievers.

Game 72: Montreal finally snaps the skid behind Alex Fernandez, who allows only two hits in 7.2 innings and matches that total at the plate, clubbing a single and his seventh double. Ken Griffey Jr. and Greg Gagne hit home runs.

The Spectres head to Milwaukee to face the Krauts.

Game 73: Scott Erickson is horrible again, walking six in 4.2 innings, and Mike Remlinger chokes up a 6-5 lead in the eighth, giving the Krauts a 7-6 series opening victory. Greg Gagne hits another home run for the Spectres, his third in five games and fifth of the season.

Game 74: The Spectre swoon continues; Edgardo Alfonzo's error leads to three unearned runs and a late rally falls short as the Krauts win another close decision, 6-5.

Game 75: Montreal rallies to salvage the finale, getting a game-tying grand slam from Ken Caminiti in the eighth and an RBI double from Edgardo Alfonzo in the ninth. Rick Aguilera gets the win with a scoreless eighth and Robb Nen gets three infield outs to earn the save.

Montreal heads home to face the Los Angeles Looters.