1969: Padres Lose Slugfest at Jarry Park

Monday, August 20, 2007
by Geoff Young
August 20, 1969, Montreal: Expos 11, Padres 10 (box score) If you like offense, this was the game for you. Even though the Padres ended up losing, they made a valiant comeback attempt. The Expos jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first on four singles and a walk off San Diego starter Tommie Sisk. The Padres responded with a run of their own in the second, but Montreal scored four more in the bottom half of the inning. The big blow was a Ron Fairly three-run homer off reliever Dave Roberts, who had replaced Sisk after just nine batters. San Diego stormed back in the fourth. With ...
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1969: Padres Hold On to Squeak Past Montreal

Sunday, August 19, 2007
by Geoff Young
August 19, 1969, Montreal: Padres 5, Expos 4 (box score) Way back before MLB systematically destroyed its Montreal franchise, when the commissioner wasn't ownership's puppet, there was an impressive demand for the sport in Quebec. How else would you explain 14,250 fans attending a contest between two teams that together had won barely 30% of their games with just over a month remaining in the season? The Padres struck early against right-hander Steve Renko in this one. Ivan Murrell was hit by a pitch to start the second inning. After advancing to second on a Chris Cannizzaro groundout, Murrell moved to third on a Tommy Dean single. One out ...
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1969: Padres Falter Late, Drop Series to Expos

Tuesday, June 12, 2007
by Geoff Young
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. ...
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1969: Spiezio, Bullpen Lead Padres Past Expos

Monday, June 11, 2007
by Geoff Young
June 11, 1969, San Diego: Padres 6, Expos 5 (box score) Dick Kelley and Bill Stoneman squared off in this one, but neither would factor in the decision. The Expos jumped on Kelley early. A walk, single, double, and error by left fielder Al Ferrara made the score 2-0 three batters into the game. The Padres cut the lead in half in the second. With runners at first and second, and one out, Chris Cannizzaro grounded to short, bringing home Tony Gonzalez with the Padres' first run. San Diego scored again the next inning. Tommy Dean led off with a triple, but the next two batters hit grounders that kept ...
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1969: Bullpen Implodes, Padres Drop Opener to Expos

Sunday, June 10, 2007
by Geoff Young
June 10, 1969, San Diego: Expos 7, Padres 4 (box score) A season-low "crowd" of 3,194 gathered to witness the Montreal Expos' first ever game in San Diego. Rookie right-hander Mike Wegener, who had yielded two unearned runs over nine innings against the Padres in Montreal 11 days earlier, got the call for the visitors. San Diego countered with Clay Kirby. Down 1-0 headed to the bottom of the second, the home team flashed a rare power display. Nate Colbert led off with a home run. Then, after an Al Ferrara walk, Ed Spiezio knocked one out of the park to put the Padres up, 3-1. The next two ...
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1969: Padres Beat Expos in First Ever Meeting

Wednesday, May 30, 2007
by Geoff Young
May 30, 1969, Montreal: Padres 3, Expos 2 (box score) Long before MLB embarked upon the nasty little task of destroying its Montreal franchise, the Expos had entered the National League alongside the San Diego Padres with hope and little else. The first game between the new expansion teams saw Dick Kelley face rookie right-hander Mike Wegener at Jarry Park. The Expos included two men -- Manny Mota and Maury Wills -- who are almost exclusively identified with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The offensive star, though, was left-swinging Rusty Staub. He and Mack Jones provided most of the spark for the Expos in their inaugural season. On this occasion, the ...
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