MONTREAL -- 'Starvin' Marvin Freeman is feeding the Philadelphia Phillies hope for the future.
Freeman, a 6-foot-7, 183-pound right-hander, combined with Kent Tekulve for his second straight one-hitter Friday night, leading the Phillies to a 5-0 victory over the Montreal Expos.
'We certainly are impressed with Marvin thus far,' Philadelphia Manager John Felske said. 'He is only an Double-A pitcher but, if he keeps doing this, then there is no way we will be able to keep him off the team next season. His chances of making this squad could be excellent.'
Freeman, who had pitched most of the season for Reading of the Eastern League, Sunday combined with Tekulve to one-hit the Mets in his second major-league start.
'That seems to be a great combination,' Freeman said. 'On Sunday, I pitched seven innings against New York and Kent finished the game and tonight it was almost the same story. We make a great pair.'
Freeman, 2-0, went six innings, allowing only a fourth-inning single by league-leading hitter Tim Raines. He walked three and struck out one. Tekulve registered his fourth save. Sergio Valdez 0-4, making his fourth start since being called up from Class-A ball, took the loss.
'I don't go out there to the mound looking for one-hitters,' Freeman said. 'This team is battling to stay in second place, so I go out there, keep the ball down and throw strikes.'
Philadelphia scored twice in the first inning. Milt Thompson scored on a passed ball and Glenn Wilson singled home Hayes.
The Phillies made it 3-0 in the third. Hayes walked, stole second and third and scored when catcher Randy Hunt threw wildly to third. In the fifth, Hayes walked and eventually scored on John Russell's grounder.
The Expos played the game under protest because of a sixth-inning play. Philadelphia loaded the bases on singles by Juan Samuel and Hayes and an error that allowed Schmidt to reach. Wilson popped up to Andre Dawson in right. Dawson seemed to catch the ball but second-base umpire Frank Pulli ruled he had dropped it and Samuel scored for a 5-0 lead.
Hayes, who didn't move from second, was forced at third. The Expos protested because the umpires called time while the ball was in play.
