Davis will save us

LA 4, MON 3 (Jary Parc):
LA came perilously close to getting swept by the 3rd year Expos in this series. The Dodgers struck first by posting 2 in the 5th off of Expo starter Steve Renko. Showing a flash of brilliance from yesteryear Maury Wills led off the inning with a slap single to left and promptly stole second. Willie Davis followed 2 batters later by doubling him home and then another 2 batters later Wes Parker doubled home Davis. Shades of 1965 all over again. Unfortunately for the Dodgers this is 1971 and that same magic formula that worked so well in the middle of the previous decade wasn't about to work here. In years past Claude Osteen would have clung to that 2 run lead and all would be good in Dodgerland. The 1971 version of Osteen wasn't that stingy as the Expos tied it up in the 6th when light hitting Ron Hunt slammed a two run shot to dead center.

LA hung tough and made it 3-2 in the 8th when Wills again came through...this time with a key

RBI. Osteen was lifted for a pinch hitter and closer extraordinaire Jim Brewer came on to lock it down. Unfortunately Brewer was not up to the task as he blew his second save opp of the season. Clyde Mashore stroked a shot to left field that Richie Allen bobbled. When the dust cleared Mashore was on third with nobody out. Ron Fairly followed with a warning track shot to Willie Crawford to right that tied the game at 3. Brewer settled down, but clearly the Dodgers were in trouble. The top of the 9th saw the reliable Willie Davis double off the fence in right center. Richie Allen and Wes Parker both made out and it looked like LA was about to squander a great opportunity. Then along came Jim Lefebvre who sticking with the theme of this game, turned the clock back to 1965 and lined a 2 out 2 strike single to center to score Davis and give LA a 1 run lead that Brewer would protect for his second win of the season. Osteen, who did not get the win did have a shining moment in the 7th as he struck out the side (Staub, Bailey & Bateman). After 63 games Willie Davis is hitting a torrid .371. Going 2 for 5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI's did not hurt his average one bit.