Editor’s note: The 1990 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will be used for any contests involving American League teams when games are played at home. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur. For this tournament, the rules include a three-man pitching rotation using the best lineups available.
The 1994 Montreal Expos became the final team to make the second round of the 1990s Diamond Gems Tournament with a 2-1 victory over the 1995 Cleveland Indians.
With the win, the Expos are set to travel to the 1993 San Francisco Giants.
Marquis Grissom got things underway for the Expos as he led off the bottom of ther first with a double against Cleveland starter Orel Hershiser.
After Omar Vizquel struck out, Moises Alou smacked a two-run homer that gave the Expos a 2-0 advantage.
Larry Walker doubled, but that was it for the Expos in the first fame. Mike Lansing‘s double in the second turned out to be the final hit of the game for Montreal.
Expos starter Ken Hill (1-0) allowed five hits with six strikeouts as he made Alou’s homer stand up for the win.
Cleveland picked up its run in the second as Albert Belle led off with a double and moved to third on a single by Jim Thome. Manny Ramirez followed with a sacrifice fly to cut Cleveland’s deficit in half, but just wouldn’t be enough.
Hershiser (0-1) gave up four hits with three walks and five strikeouts in seven innings.
Jose Mesa tossed a perfect eighth for the Indians, but Hill answered in the top of the ninth for Montreal by fanning Belle and Thome before Ramirez ended the game with a fly ball that Grissom had to run down in centerfield.
1990s Diamond Gems Tournament
Second Round Schedule
1990 Oakland A’s at 1990 Cincinnati Reds
1992 Toronto Blue Jays at 1993 Philadelphia Phillies
1990 Pittsburgh Pirates at 1997 Florida Marlins
1994 Montreal Expos at 1993 San Francisco Giants
First Round Results
1990 Cincinnati Reds 4, 1998 Houston Astros 2
1990 Oakland A’s 4, 1998 New York Yankees 3
1992 Toronto Blue Jays 5, 1997 Baltimore Orioles 1
1993 Philadelphia Phillies 8, 1996 Atlanta Braves 2
1990 Pittsburgh Pirates 8, 1998 San Diego Padres 2
1997 Florida Marlins 5, 1991 Minnesota Twins 4
1993 San Francisco Giants 2, 1996 New York Yankees 1
1994 Montreal Expos 2, 1995 Cleveland Indians 1