Metroplex region: 1973 Expos defeat 1973 Mets in six games

Game One: Expos 3, Mets 2
WP: Renko (1-0)
LP: Seaver (0-1)
Save: Marshall (1)
HR: Bailey (1), Staub (1), Jones (1)

Game Two: Mets 3, Expos 0
WP: Koosman (1-0)
LP: Torrez (0-1)
HR: Jones (2)

Game Three: Mets 2, Expos 0
WP: Matlack (1-0)
LP: Rogers (0-1)
Save: McGraw (1)
HR: Milner (1)

Game Four: Expos 3, Mets 2
WP: Marshall (1-0)
LP: McGraw (0-1)
HR: Bailey (2)

Game Five: Expos 5, Mets 2
WP: Renko (2-0)
LP: Seaver (0-2)
Save: Marshall (2)
HR: Stinson (1)

Game Six: Expos 4, Mets 3
WP: Torrez (1-1)
LP: Koosman (1-1)
Save: Marshall (3)
HR: Breeden 2 (2)

Steve Renko -- a good pitcher but no Hall of Fame candidate -- twice outdueled Tom Seaver, and the Expos bullpen was charged with one run allowed in 11 innings.

Game One, in Shea Stadium, went to the visitors despite consecutive homers in the sixth from Rusty Staub and Cleon Jones. Montreal plated two runs in the fourth, one on a ground out and the other on a squeeze bunt by Boots Day. Bob Bailey homered off Seaver in the top of the sixth, a vital insurance run.

Jerry Koosman evened the series with a five-hit shutout in Game Two. Jones hit a two-run homer in the first off Mike Torrez and singled home the other run in the seventh.

The series moved to Montreal's tiny Parc Jarry for Game Three, and Jon Matlack and three relievers followed Koosman's shutout with one of their own. Matlack went six innings before leaving for a pinch-hitter; Ray Sadecki, Harry Parker and Tug McGraw divved up the other nine outs. John Milner provided the runs with a two-run shot off Steve Rogers in the second inning.

The Mets carried a 2-1 lead into the ninth with McGraw on the mound in Game Four, but the lefty relief ace erred on Ron Hunt's leadoff grounder. After Ron Fairly bounced into a force out, Bailey homered to jolt the Expos into a tie for the series. Mike Marshall pitched the top of the ninth and was credited with the win.

The Mets were already trailing Game Five 2-0 when they imploded behind Tom Seaver in the fifth. Staub committed a two-base error on a leadoff flyball. After a sac bunt moved Jim Lyttle to third, Seaver walked Renko, and Felix Millan followed that by booting Hunt's grounder. Seaver then threw a wild pitch that Jerry Grote could not find, and the runners took two bases. Ron Fairly's base hit made it a three-run inning. The Mets did get four baserunners in the ninth, but Marshall got a double-play grounder off the bat of pinch-hitter Willie Mays to end the game.

The series returned to Shea for Game Six, but the Expos were not deterred. Hal Breeden homered twice and doubled. He scored three runs and drove in three. Torrez worked into the eighth inning; Joe Gilbert finished that inning with a one-run lead, and Marshall pitched a perfect ninth to end the series.

Player availability: With two days off, Marshall and the rest of the Montreal bullpen will be fully available when Round 2 opens.

Projected rotation: Renko-Rogers-Torrez-Moore-(Renko)-(Rogers)-(Torrez)