Montreal Holds Off Giants, 6-5 : LaCoss Doesn’t Last First, Then Ejected

The Montreal Expos scored five runs in a first-inning rally featuring Tom Foley’s two-run triple, then gave up three runs in the bottom of the first.

“It was real ugly at the beginning, it really was. For both sides,” said Andy McGaffigan, who earned the pitching victory in relief as the Expos held off the San Francisco Giants 6-5 Monday.

Montreal starter Jay Tibbs failed to last five innings, so was ineligible for the victory.

“He felt a lot better in the bullpen then he did out on the mound,” Manager Buck Rodgers said. “That half-hour wait in the dugout while we batted didn’t help him.”

“As a relief pitcher, you have to come in and throw strikes, do something to change the tempo of the game,” said McGaffigan, 8-4, who allowed one hit over four innings, and so far in August has allowed no runs in 18 innings of pitching.

The Expos’ first-inning victim was Mike LaCoss, 9-9, who suffered his sixth consecutive defeat.

“I think he’s totally confused right now,” Manager Roger Craig said, adding that he’s considering taking LaCoss out of the Giants’ starting rotation.

LaCoss was lifted in the top of the first and ejected from the game a few minutes later by home plate umpire Larry Poncino, who said LaCoss cursed him from the dugout.

“I didn’t say anything to him,” LaCoss said. “He not only can’t call balls and strikes, now he’s hearing things.”

Foley had three RBI in the victory, delivering a sacrifice fly in the third, and has an 11-game hitting streak that has raised his batting average to .300.

McGaffigan, who relieved Tibbs in the fifth with none out, the bases loaded and the Expos leading 6-4, was the winner. McGaffigan allowed just one run--on Chris Brown’s sacrifice fly--in getting out of the inning.

Jeff Reardon got his 28th save by pitching the ninth.