Day solid, Vidro smashing in Expos' victory

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Frank Robinson had plenty of confidence in

his closer, even with Barry Bonds standing at the plate as the

potential tying run.

The Montreal manager pitched to Bonds, all right.

Bonds doubled off the wall, but Rocky Biddle struck out the next

two batters and the Expos handed Damian Moss his first loss of the

season Monday night with a 4-3 victory over the San Francisco

Giants.

"I have confidence in my pitcher, No. 1,'' Robinson said. "All

Barry can do is tie the game. What you're talking about is a home

run. It's not easy to do.''

Jose Vidro hit a three-run double in the seventh inning off Joe

Nathan. Vidro is 3-for-4 with the bases loaded this season,

including 2-for-2 with two outs.

Rich Aurilia and Bonds hit consecutive doubles in the ninth to

cut it to 4-3, but Biddle fanned Jose Cruz Jr. and Benito Santiago

for his ninth save in 10 chances.

"That last at-bat scared me big time,'' Montreal's Michael

Barrett said. "Cruz has been hot. ... (When Bonds connected) I was

like 'Oh no! I can't believe it!' You give a good hitter two

fastballs to the same spot and he's going to make an adjustment.

Thank God it's 421 out there.''

Zach Day (4-1) pitched six solid innings, winning his third

straight decision in his 10th career start. The right-hander, who

has not lost since April 8 at Chicago, allowed one run and eight

hits.

And he was able to do what no other pitcher had this season --

beat Moss.

"He's been doing well,'' said Day, who mixed up his pitches

more than in recent outings. "Its was a fun matchup for both of us

-- two younger guys going at it.''

Aurilia had three hits for San Francisco, which lost its third

straight and couldn't produce enough offense to support Moss, who

came in with a career-best five-game winning streak.

Moss, acquired from the Braves in the offseason, had runners

aboard in the first five innings, but only one got past first base

as the left-hander escaped unscathed each time.

In the seventh, Barrett and pinch-hitter Jamey Carroll hit

back-to-back singles with one out before Endy Chavez grounded out.

Moss (5-1) walked Orlando Cabrera to load the bases, and Nathan

relieved. Vidro drove a 2-2 fastball down the right-field line to

score three runs.

The Giants got an unearned run in the bottom half when

pinch-hitter Andres Galarraga singled home Bonds. They nearly

scored another, but Cruz was thrown out at the plate by right

fielder Vladimir Guerrero on Santiago's single.

After the game, the Giants had no regrets about sending Cruz

home.

"Jose Cruz had a great jump,'' third base coach Gene Glynn

said. "Vladimir just made a great throw. If I had to do it again,

I would do it again and see if he could make that throw again.''

Said manager Felipe Alou, "In that situation you don't play the

arm, you play the accuracy.''

Orlando Cabrera added a sacrifice fly for Montreal in the ninth,

an important insurance run.

In his previous five starts, Moss was 4-0 with a 1.41 ERA.

Marquis Grissom drove in a run against his former team in the

fourth with a single off Day for a 1-0 Giants lead.

The game was a reunion of sorts, with many hugs and handshakes

as players with connections to the other team caught up with old

friends.

Grissom, Galarraga, Jim Brower and Kirk Rueter all used to play

in Montreal, where Alou made his big league managerial debut in

1992. He was fired during the 2001 season.

Robinson used to manage in San Francisco, and Montreal pitcher

Livan Hernandez played for the Giants last season before being

traded in March.

Hernandez spent 45 minutes in the Giants clubhouse before the

game visiting his former teammates before finding his way to the

visitor's locker room to dress for the game.

Hernandez was greeted by Giants owner Peter Magowan, who is

still signing the pitcher's paycheck.

Alou celebrated his 68th birthday, receiving a birthday message

on the center-field scoreboard before San Francisco batted in the

second. Highlights from his playing days more than four decades ago

were played.

Game notes
Montreal is 7-1 in Day's starts. He threw 95 pitches, 55

for strikes. ... Galarraga is 10-for-14 with runners in scoring

position. ... Vidro and Colorado's Preston Wilson share the NL lead

with 18 doubles. ... Bonds walked twice, one intentional. ... The

Giants are 7-for-34 (.206) with runners in scoring position in

their three consecutive losses.