Wilkerson Slams Door on Giants

Sidney Ponson left the Montreal Expos with little margin for a comeback, making the one they pulled off that much more spectacular.

Brad Wilkerson hit his second grand slam of the season with two outs in the ninth inning Sunday, giving the Expos a 4-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

Wilkerson drove closer Tim Worrell’s 3-2 pitch over the center-field wall for the Expos’ sixth game-ending homer of the season, spoiling Ponson’s best start for the Giants.

“I knew I put a charge into it,” said Wilkerson, who hit his first career grand slam on April 11. “It felt really good to drive in the game-winning run. It was a big, big win for us.”

Ponson (0-3) breezed through the first eighth innings in his third start for San Francisco and came within two outs of his first National League win, complete game and shutout.

“I know you can’t say that in the paper but I am [very upset],” Ponson said. “It’s worthless to throw a game like that and lose it.”

Acquired from Baltimore on July 31 in a trade for Damian Moss, Kurt Ainsworth and minor league left-hander Ryan Hannaman, Ponson yielded only four hits and struck out six in 8 1/3 innings.

After Jose Vidro’s one-out double in the ninth, Ponson walked Vladimir Guerrero and Orlando Cabrera to load the bases and was removed for Worrell.

Worrell struck out Wil Cordero on a 3-2 pitch and worked a full count to Wilkerson before he hit his 14th homer of the season. It was Worrell’s fifth blown save and extended the Giants’ losing streak to five.

The Giants, winless in six games against Montreal this season, played their third game in a row without Barry Bonds, who is on bereavement leave to be with his ailing father.