Finishing where they began

Valentino Pascucci

The Montreal Expos spend their last day in existence 19 years ago today, losing 8-1 to the Mets before a crowd of 33,569 at Shea Stadium.

The Sunday afternoon game starts well enough for the Expos, who take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as an opposite-field single to left by Terrmel Sledge off Hall of Famer Tom Glavine easily scores Jamey Carroll from third base.

From there, though, the Expos manage only three more hits off Glavine and relievers Heath Bell, John Franco and Bartolome Fortunato.

Sledge finishes with two of the Expos’ final five hits, while Valentino Pascucci (pictured here) picks up the other three on two singles and a double.

The end formally comes at 4:23 p.m. as Endy Chavez grounds out to second baseman Jeff Keppinger for the final out of the game.

Coincidentally, the Washington-bound Expos end where they begin: Shea Stadium, where they beat the Mets 11-10 in the first game of their existence on April 8, 1969.