Don Robinson came through with an outstanding complete-game effort, leading the Pirates to a 2-1 win in the first of their two-game series in Montreal. He outpitched Expos’ ace Steve Rogers, who’s given the Pirates plenty of trouble all year. The win broke a first-place tie, giving the Bucs a lead of one game in the NL East.
Robinson allowed only six hits and two walks. The Expos got only one runner past first before they scored their only run in the bottom of the fifth. Larry Parrish led off the inning with a double and Rodney Scott followed with a single. An error by Omar Moreno let Parrish score and Scott go to second. Rogers then bunted, but Willie Stargell made a big play, throwing Scott out at third. That play became especially big when Warren Cromartie singled. Robinson got the next two hitters to end the inning.
At that point, the Pirates were up, 2-1. They’d gotten their first run when Moreno led off the top of the third with a single, stole his 70th base, went to third on a sacrifice by Tim Foli and scored on a single by Dave Parker.
Robinson scored the Pirates’ second run, in the fifth. He singled with one out, then came around to score when Foli and Parker both singled with two out.
The Pirates had some chances after the fifth; they finished the game with eleven hits. Moreno had a leadoff double in the seventh and a two-out double in the top of the ninth, but the Bucs weren’t able to capitalize.
In the end, two runs were enough. The Expos managed only one runner after the fifth. Scott reached on an infield hit in the seventh, but Ed Ott threw him out stealing.
The win lifted Robinson’s record to 8-6. Moreno had three hits and Parker’s two RBIs gave him 88 on the season. Bruce Kison will face Bill Lee in another big game tomorrow.
