Expos Stretch Advantage Over Dodgers

David Segui singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning and the Montreal Expos won their sixth in a row, improving their wild-card position with a 6-2 victory Thursday night over the Florida Marlins at Miami.

The Expos increased their lead to one game over the Dodgers in the wild-card race. Montreal trails Atlanta by seven games in the NL East.

“We’re a good team, a hungry team,” said Rondell White, who doubled twice, singled and scored two runs. “We have no business being where we’re at now. We’ve surprised people all year.”

The Expos took advantage of six walks to go with their 14 hits as Barry Manuel (4-1) earned the win with two innings of one-hit relief. Mike Lansing added three hits and two steals, and Mark Grudzielanek had three hits and two runs batted in.

Montreal broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth with three singles and two walks to score twice off Pat Rapp (6-15).

“These people were real interested in winning this game,” Montreal Manager Felipe Alou said about his team. “They played with a lot of intensity.”

Philadelphia 6, Chicago 1--Curt Schilling pitched a six-hitter, and all nine Phillie starters had hits at Philadelphia.

Schilling (7-8), who had his shortest outing of the season--3 1/3 innings--in his last start Aug. 31 against Dodgers, rebounded with his fifth complete game of the year.

In going at least seven innings for the ninth time in his last 10 starts, Schilling struck out seven and walked one. The only run he gave up was Brian McRae’s solo homer in the third.

The Phillies, who got 12 hits, jumped on Frank Castillo (7-15) with a three-run first.

Baseball Notes

Mark McLemore, the starting second baseman for the Texas Rangers, has been fitted for a mouthguard and is eligible to play as early as today after breaking his jawbone in a batting practice mishap Wednesday. McLemore was injured before the Rangers’ loss to the Minnesota Twins when he was hit in the mouth by a fungo bat.

Texas left fielder Rusty Greer is suffering from a small fracture of the 10th rib on his right side that a bone scan revealed, but the injury shouldn’t sideline him more than a couple of days.

The New York Yankees are expected to activate closer John Wetteland off the 15-day disabled list today. Wetteland, the American League leader with 38 saves, sat out three weeks because of a pulled right groin muscle.

New York has struggled in his absence, going 9-13 with set-up man Mariano Rivera forced to close games. Rivera had two saves in that span, and his earned-run average dropped 0.25.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Playoff Races: NATIONAL LEAGUE

DIVISION

*--*

WEST W L Pct. GB San Diego 78 63 .553 -- Dodgers 76 63 .547 1

*--*

*--*

CENTRAL W L Pct. GB St. Louis 75 65 .536 -- Houston 74 67 .525 1 1/2 Cincinnati 70 69 .504 4 1/2

*--*

WILD CARD

*--*

TEAM W L Pct. GB Montreal 77 62 .554 -- Dodgers 76 63 .547 1 Houston 74 67 .525 4 Colorado 71 69 .507 6 1/2 Cincinnati 70 69 .504 7

*--*

Playoff Races: AMERICAN LEAGUE

DIVISION

*--*

EAST W L Pct. GB New York 78 61 .561 -- Baltimore 74 65 .532 4 Boston 72 68 .514 6 1/2

*--*

WILD CARD

*--*

TEAM W L Pct. GB Chicago 76 65 .539 -- Baltimore 74 65 .532 1 Seattle 72 67 .518 3 Boston 72 68 .514 3 1/2

*--*

One wild-card team from each league qualifies for the playoffs.