1969: Padres Falter Late, Drop Series to Expos

June 12, 1969, San Diego: Expos 4, Padres 1 (box score)

After splitting the first two games at San Diego Stadium, the Expos and Padres remained deadlocked in a scoreless tie through six innings in the rubber match. Not until the bottom of the fifth had either team put a runner past first base. In that inning, the Padres loaded the bases with two out for Tommy Dean, who grounded out to end the frame.

Montreal broke the tie in the seventh. With one out and nobody on, Rusty Staub launched a home run to right off Joe Niekro.

The Padres came back with an unearned run the following inning. With one out, Roberto Pena reached on an error. Ollie Brown then singled, moving pinch runner Jose Arcia to third. Ed Spiezio followed with a single of his own to plate Arcia.

The tie, however, didn’t last long. Gary Sutherland doubled off Tommie Sisk to start the ninth. Southpaw Billy McCool came on to face Ron Fairly, who promptly singled home Sutherland. After Staub struck out looking, Mack Jones tripled home Fairly. Then, with Frank Reberger on the mound, Bob Bailey grounded to short, scoring Jones to put the Expos up, 4-1.

Right-hander Howie Reed, who had finished the eighth for Montreal, retired the Padres with ease in their final at-bat. Cito Gaston and John Sipin struck out to start the inning. After pinch hitter Tony Gonzalez drew a walk, Dean grounded out to end the game. In front of 3,513 fans, the Padres had fallen to 25-35 on the season.

Elsewhere in the world: The National Hockey League held its Amateur Draft at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal.

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