The Big O is the nickname given to Olympic Stadium, the concrete eyesore the Montreal Expos call home.
But the Big O could also be a pseudonym for the Cubs, whose hitting has been missing since the team went through customs at the Montreal airport.
Could someone please check the baggage carousel?
Wacky Expos left-hander Carlos Perez shut out the Cubs 5-0 Saturday, one day after ex-Cub Jim Bullinger did likewise. The last two pitchers to throw back-to-back complete-game shutouts against the Cubs were Pittsburgh’s Jose DeLeon and Rick Rhoden at Wrigley Field on June 25-26, 1984.
It was the second straight shutout for Perez (6-4) and only his second victory since April 30.
“We’re hitting a lot of balls in the air,” Scott Servais said. “And they’re easy outs here.”
The Cubs have lost three in a row for the first time since May 2, dropping to 10-23 on the road. They have not scored a run in 21 innings and fell seven games behind Pittsburgh in the NL Central.
They trailed 2-0 with two outs in the fifth inning when Brian McRae and Doug Glanville reached on infield hits and Mark Grace hit one headed for right field. But the ball hit Glanville for the third out, and so much for a rally.
“I’ve got to find a way to get out of the way,” Glanville said. “And I didn’t do it.”
“I’ve gone years without seeing that happen,” manager Jim Riggleman said.
“Now I’ve seen it three to four times this year. I don’t have any explanation for it.”
F.P. Santangelo hit a two-run homer off Terry Mulholland (5-5) in the fifth to make it 4-0, and added another homer on Mel Rojas’ first pitch of the eighth.
Cleanup hitter Sammy Sosa continued his recent struggles. Sosa is hitting .159 in his last 11 games with four RBIs and 13 strikeouts.
