Game 155: Montreal loses a wild one as both teams score once in the ninth and then three times in the 10th. Pittsburgh ends it with an eight-run explosion in the 11th. A stunned Spectre team cannot answer and loses 16-8.

Game 156: Things look bleak as the Spectres trail 5-4 with two down in the bottom of the ninth, with nobody on base. But Pittsburgh starter Jon Garland walks Ken Griffey Jr., Carlos Delgado, and Edgardo Alfonzo to load the bases. Shawn Chacon enters the game and promptly hits Ken Griffey Jr. in the leg, forcing home the tying run. Ramon Hernandez then coaxes a walk to force home the winner. Montreal rallies for two runs on no hits.

Game 157: Solo home runs by Bobby Crosby and Kevin Mench send the game to extra innings, and the Melons take a 5-4 lead in the 10th on Adam Dunn's double, but the Spectres rally to win it as Jayson Werth hits a two-run double in the 10th.

Game 158: Geoff Jenkins and Ken Griffey Jr. both throw runners out at the plate in the ninth inning, but the Melons manage to get one man home to take a 9-8 lead on Kevin Mench's single. Carl Crawford makes his way to second base with none out in the bottom half but two strikeouts followed by a groundout condemn the Spectres to a loss.

We'll close the season at New York.

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Montreal will face St. Louis in the first round of the playoffs

GAME 1, at Montreal

Rodrigo Lopez (16-6) vs. Kelvim Escobar (16-6)

St. Louis gets off to a good start, as its first three batters reach base off Escobar, and Craig Biggio drives in the game's first run with a groundout. Escobar escapes with no further damage.

Escobar pitches two perfect innings after that, then runs into some trouble in the fourth but strands two runners with no runs scoring. The Spectres, meanwhile, do nothing in the first three frames against Lopez. Ken Griffey Jr. starts the fourth with a single and Carlos Delgado follows with a two-run homer to give Montreal the lead. Carl Crawford strands two more Spectres to end the inning when he flies to right.

The Spectres pick up where they off in the fifth, however, loading the bases with one out and then getting a sac fly from Melvin Mora and an RBI single from Mark Bellhorn. Escobar makes the last out of this inning, striking out with the bases loaded.

Escobar keeps the Cthullu from scoring again through the eighth and Mark Bellhorn adds another run with a sacrifice fly. Salomon Torres comes in to pitch the ninth. He hits Jacques Jones in the leg with one out, but retires Mike Matheny and Mike Lamb to end it. Montreal wins the opener 5-1.

GAME 2, at Montreal

Tom Glavine (15-12) vs. Jake Westbrook (13-8)

Montreal strikes first in this one, as consecutive singles to lead off the game put a man on third for Melvin Mora, who drives home a run with a groundout. The Cthullu answer in the second when Mike Matheny hits a two-run double.

Matheny is heard from again in the fourth, singling home Cliff Floyd to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead, and again in the sixth, driving home Jacques Jones.

Montreal finally answers in the seventh, with Melvin Mora blasting a two-run home run to make it a one-run game. In the eighth, Cliff Floyd walks and steals second. The Spectres make it past Matheny this time, getting a ground out, but pinch hitter BJ Surhoff singles to give the Cthullu an insurance run.

Trevor Hoffman pitches perfect frames in the eighth and ninth to preserve the lead, and St. Louis takes homefield advantage with a 5-3 win at Olympic Stadium.

GAME 3, at St. Louis

Joe Kennedy (14-9) vs. Jason Marquis (13-5)

Craig Biggio leads off the bottom of the second inning with a home run to put St. Louis on the board, but Carlos Delgado's second two-run homer of the series put Montreal on top in the fourth. Biggio reaches base on a Khalil Greene error in the bottom of that frame and the Cthullu score two runs to retake the lead, Mike Matheny providing another RBI single.

After retiring the first two batters in the fifth, Kennedy has a near meltdown, allowing consecutive singles and then a bases-clearing double to Biggio. He recovers to strike out Jacques Jones, but the Spectres now trail 5-2.

Montreal gets those runs back in the sixth on an RBI single by Delgado and a double by Ken Griffey Jr. With the score still 5-4, Griffey Jr. strikes out with two men on base to end the eighth. In the bottom of that inning, Trever Miller comes in to face Cliff Floyd with Jones on first. First Jones steals second, then Floyd homers. 7-4.

Trevor Time. With two down, Angel Berroa doubles off Hoffman and brings up the top of the Spectre order, but Carl Crawford flies out to and the Spectres are staring at elimination.



GAME 4, at St. Louis

Jimmy Gobble (11-10) vs. Rodrigo Lopez (16-6)

Mark Bellhorn's error on the leadoff batter in the bottom of the first leads to a run-scoring single by Mike Lamb, and the Cthullu strike first again.

With two down in the fourth, Ken Griffey Jr. walks and Khalil Greene follows with a two-run homer. St. Louis ties it back up in the bottom half after a single, walk, and two deep flies to .

The Cthullu take the lead back in the seventh when Jacque Jones singles home Erubiel Durazo, who had led off with a double. Cliff Politte lets the Spectres back into the game in the eighth as Melvin Mora ties it up with a home run. Carlos Delgado grounds into a double play to end that frame.

Trever Miller enters to pitch the eighth. Bad decision. Jacques Jones greets him with a solo home run and the Cthullu lead 4-3. Miller retires the next three batters but it's too late.

Trevor Hoffman is gassed after the last two games, so Jay Witasick stays in for the ninth for St. Louis. Ken Griffey Jr. flies out; Khalil Greene and Ramon Hernandez (no PH?) ground out... game over. series over. season over.

Montreal drops a 4-3 decision, outhit 11-5 in the finale, and loses the divisional round three games to one.

ARgh.

The 2005 player draft has begun.

In the first round, Montreal drafts pitcher Ryan Dempster, who missed all of 2004 while recovering from injuries. This is the second straight year that the Spectres have taken an injury-plagued pitcher in the first round (AJ Burnett last season), which seems like a risky strategy.

In the second round, the Spectres take C Ryan Doumit to help spell Ramon Hernandez as Mr. Hernandez gets older. Doumit is a switch-hitter and should give the team an opportunity to set up favorable matchups.

The third round sees OF Matt Diaz join the team as insurance against further injury trouble for Ken Griffey Jr.

In the fourth round, Montreal looks for more pitching, grabbing Aaron Small.

With their final pick of the 2005 draft, Montreal selects reliever Brandon Lyon.

2005 Preview:

The Spectres have an exciting top-of-the-lineup hitter in Carl Crawford and still have some pop with Ken Griffey, Jr., Carlos Delgado, and Geoff Jenkins in the lineup. The middle infield is a bit unsettled as Michael Cuddyer may spend a lot of time at 2B this season and the team isn't quite sure what they've got at short with Khalil Greene and Angel Berroa competing for playing time. Certainly not an elite offense but should be enough to get the job done if the pitching is competent.

Which is questionable. The rotation will be a mix-and-match affair, particularly in the fifth spot, and the bullpen has a few holes.

If the divisional competition has improved at all, it should be a close race.

The Spectres start the season at San Diego.

Game 1: Angel Berroa makes his claim on the shortstop job, hitting a bases-loaded double to help the Spectres come back from a 5-0 deficit. The Montreal bullpen throws four scoreless innings and Montreal rallies for a 6-5 win to open the season.

Game 2: The Spectres score early, often, and late, ending up with 19 hits and a 14-3 rout over the Conquistadors. Carl Crawford hits the only home run; AJ Burnett throws eight innings for the victory and hits a double.

Game 3: Perhaps not surprisingly, the Spectres have no offense at all in the series finale, shut out 5-0 by Victor Santos and a pari of San Diego relievers. Jeremy
Bonderman throws a complete game for Montreal.

Montreal's home opener will be against the Milwaukee Bears, who have started the season 3-0.

Game 4: Tomo Ohka takes the mound for Opening Day in Montreal and becomes the second straight Montreal starter to throw a complete game... and lose as his team is shut out. Brett Tomko does the honors for the Bears, throwing seven innnings, and Joaquin Benoit finishes it off. Eric Chavez homers for Milwaukee and the Bears win 3-0.

Game 5: The Spectres break open a 2-2 game with six runs in the eighth, featuring home runs from Carl Crawford, Melvin Mora, and Geoff Jenkins, but then nearly give it all back in the ninth. Eddie Guardado allows a three-run homer to Olmedo Saenz, the first batter he faces, to make it an 8-7 game, and puts the next two men on base as well before getting out of the frame with no further damage.

Game 6: Salomon Torres and Jason Frasor combine to walk six batters in 1.1 innings of work and the Bears capitalize, scoring a 5-1 victory despite being outhit 7-1.

The Spectres head west to face Los Angeles, under new management and now called the "Granny Lovers". True story.

Game 7: The Granny Lovers are no joke, at least not when Randy Johnson is on the mound. He strikes out eight Spectres and LA takes the series opener 6-3.

Game 8: Melvin Mora leads off the ninth with a home run to tie the game at two; the game goes to extras when LA strands a leadoff single in the bottom half. With two down in the 10th, Carl Crawford steals second, then scores on Carlos Delgado's single. Eddie Guardado works a perfect inning for his third save and the Spectres even their record at 4-4 with a 3-2 win.

Game 9: Jeremy Bonderman throws a complete-game 2-hit shutout as the Spectres take the series with a 3-0 win.

Montreal returns home to face St. Louis.

Game 10: The Cthulu score four runs in the first inning off Tomo Ohka, but Ohka settles in after that and the Spectres slowly come back. Ryan Doumit's two-run homer in the second makes it 4-3, and Ken Griffey Jr. puts Montreal on top with his first home run of the season in the sixth. Salomon Torres throws two scoreless innings in relief of Ohka and Eddie Guardado sets St. Louis down in order in the ninth to preserve a 5-4 win.

Game 11: The Cthulu score three in the first off rookie starter Luis Nieter and the Spectres are playing catchup from there. They do tie the game in the eighth on Ramon Hernandez' pinch hit two-run homer, but James Baldwin allows three runs in the top of the ninth. Montreal rallies again, scoring two in the ninth, but pinch hitter Jesse Genius grounds out to end the inning with men on first and second. St. Louis wins, 8-7.

Game 12: Not an artistic masterpiece, but Carlos Delgado drives in four runs and Carl Crawford scores four times as the Spectres outslug St. Louis 9-7 to take the series.

Divisional play begins with a trip to Pittsburgh.

Game 13: Jake Westbrook throws a complete game 4-hit shutout and Geoff Jenkins and Melvin Mora have three hits each as the Spectres defeat the Melons 6-0 to open the series.

Game 14: The Spectres erupt for seven runs in the first inning and coast to a 9-7 win despite a horrendous performance by starter AJ Burnett, who allows 16 hits in 7.1 innings of work. Eddie Guardado allows a solo home run to Adrian Beltre in the ninth but gets his sixth save.

Game 15: Montreal suffers its first truly "bad" loss of the season, blowing an 8-4 lead in the ninth inning; Pittsburgh rallies for FIVE runs in that frame to steal a 9-8 win from the Spectres. Eddie Guardado allows the final three runs and suffers his first blown save.

Game 16: The Spectres show no ill effects from yesterday's disaster, scoring five times in the first and building a big lead. Tomo Ohka keeps Pittsburgh off the scoreboard until the eighth, by which time the game is no longer in doubt. Ohka gets a complete game and the Spectres win 12-3.

The road trip continues as we head to Philadelphia.

Game 17: Angel Berroa doubles home the lead run in the top of the ninth, but Eddie Guardado has another meltdown, loading the bases in the ninth before leaving for James Baldwin. Shea Hillenbrand greets Baldwin with a double that gives Philly a 4-3 win.

Game 18: Shea Hillenbrand strikes again, hitting a solo home run in the eighth to knot the score at four, but this time the Spectres prevail in extra innings as Ryan Doumit hits a two-run homer in the 11th. Ryan Dempster pitches both the 10th and 11th innings for the victory.

Game 19: AJ Burnett is shelled, but the Spectre bullpen is just short of brilliant and the offense is on the top of its game as well; Michael Cuddyer's fourth double of the game breaks open an 8-8 game in the ninth and though Eddie Guardado allows a run in the bottom half, he earns another save as Montreal triumphs 11-9.

Game 20: Byung-Hyun Kim throws seven shutout innings and the McPoyles earn a series split with a 3-0 victory in the finale. Jeremy Bonderman is the hard-luck loser.

Before facing New York, the Spectres begin interleague play with two-game sets against Cleveland and Detroit.

Game 21: Montreal gives some lessons on how to strand baserunners as they leave men in scoring position in innings 2-6, but head to extras tied at four. Eddie Guardado strikes out the side in the 13th, but walks the leadoff man in the 14th. David Cortes enters. The runner steals second and then scores on a single, givingi Cleveland a 5-4 lead. Ramon Hernandez doubles to lead off the bottom half but the next two Spectres are retired, leaving things to pinch hitter Pete Orr. Orr singles, and Hernandez beats the throw home to tie the score. Carl Crawford singles, Orr moving to third. Jose Lopez hits another single, scoring Orr with the winner!!! Spectres win 6-5.

Game 22: Starter Paul Voisard leaves in the first charged with four runs, and the Spectres set new records for stranding runners, but they get so many runners that it hardly even matters. The Spectres rip off 23 hits and draw two walks, and though none of those hits go over the fence they manage to scrape together enough runs to win 8-6. David Cortes gets the win with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief.

Game 23: Carlos Delgado's three-run homer caps a four-run sixth that gives the Spectres just enough to win at Detroit, 4-3. With Eddie Guardado exhausted ("Everyday Eddie" inDEED), Ambriorix Burgos pitches the ninth, without incident, for his first save.

Game 24: Jake Westbrook gives the bullpen some needed rest, throwing a complete game 7-hit shutout, and the Spectres beat Detroit 5-0. Carl Crawford triples, homers, and drives home three.

The Spectres will host New York next to finish off the first round of divisional play.

Game 25: Eddie Guardado, back in action, blows a save in the ninth as Tadahito Iguchi singles home Luis Matos with the tying run. Matos then puts New York in front in the 11th, scoring on a sacrifice fly. Iguchi, though, commits a critical error in the bottom half, extending the inning, and the Spectres tie the game with two outs. Ramon Hernandez then bounces to Mark Teahen, but Teahen throws wild and the winning run scores. Your final: Montreal 7, New York 6.

Game 26: Jeremy Bonderman and two Spectre relievers combine for a 3-0 shutout of the Mad Men. Khalil Greene hits a two-run homer to lead what little offense there is. James Baldwin pitches the ninth for his first save.

Game 27: Tomo Ohka tires in the eighth, and Salomon Torres blows up in the ninth as the Mad Men score five times in the final two frames to steal a 7-5 victory in Game 3 of the series. Ramon Hernandez homers and drives in three for Montreal. Trever Miller, just brought up from the minors, allows a one-out hit in the ninth but shuts the door for his first save.

The Spectres face interleague sets with Kansas City and Colorado next.

Game 28: New York scores five runs in the sixth to take a 7-6 lead, but Montreal rallies for three runs in the seventh, the final two on a double by Pete Orr, and then holds on for a 9-7 victory.

Game 29: Prospect John Body, including a tie-breaking RBI single in the eighth, and the Spectres dedge the Blue Devils 2-1. Eddie Guardado returns to the closer role with a scoreless ninth, earning his eighth save.

Game 30: John Body drives in two more runs and AJ Burnett throws a complete game, striking out nine, as the Spectres beat Kansas City 6-2.

Game 31: Andy Pettite of Colorado throws a 5-hit shutout at the Spectres as the visiting Rockies win 8-0. David Ortiz draws four walks from a variety of Montreal pitchers, and Jorge Cantu drives home four.

Game 32: Montreal's only game in Colorado this season starts promisingly with three runs in the first, but Rockies starter Mark Hendrickson settles down after that and the Spectres don't touch home plate again. The Rockies are much more productive and sweep Montreal with a 5-3 win.

The Spectres head west for our first meeting of the season with archrival San Francisco, the most hated team on the planet.

Game 33: The Spectres hang a 6-spot on CC Sabathia in the fourth inning, Carl Crawford getting things started with a bases-loaded double, and Montreal survives some shaky relief work to beat Frisco 8-5 in the series opener.

Game 34: Game 2 is a slugfest as the teams combine for 32 hits and 10 walks; Montreal's Jose Lopez puts the Spectres in front with a bases-loaded double in the seventh and Montreal hangs on for a 12-9 win.

Game 35: AJ Burnett throws a complete-game 2-hitter, walking only one, and the Spectres sweep the Niners with a 1-0 win in the series finale. Ken Griffey Jr. drives in the only run of the game with a second-inning double.

More interleague play is on tap with series against West Coast teams Oakland and Seattle.