Montreal win streak up to six – Expos 6, Royals 3

? The Montreal Expos are getting big outings from an unexpected source.

Tomo Ohka won his fourth straight decision as Montreal tied a season-high six-game winning streak with a 6-3 victory over Kansas City on Wednesday night.

“It’s been a real pleasant surprise to see him go out there and pitch,” Expos catcher Michael Barrett said. “He’s gotten better and better with every start, and we need that. He’s picked us up huge there.”

Ohka, Montreal’s fourth starter behind staff ace Javier Vazquez, Tony Armas Jr., and Carl Pavano going into the season, took over the team lead from Armas with his seventh win.

“I don’t care about the other guys,” Ohka said through an interpreter. “All I have to do is concentrate on my pitching on what I have to do.”

Pavano, who made his third career bullpen appearance Tuesday after being taken out of the rotation, was optioned to Triple-A Ottawa. He was 3-8 with a 6.30 ERA in 15 appearances, including 14 starts.

“We’re just trying to get Carl straightened out and get him back in a groove to where he can get major league hitters out,” Expos manager Frank Robinson said.

Brad Wilkerson, Jose Vidro and Vladimir Guerrero hit three straight doubles off Mac Suzuki (0-2) leading off the first. The Royals lost their sixth straight, tying a season high.

Guerrero advanced to third on a balk by Suzuki, and scored Montreal’s third run on Fernando Tatis’ RBI grounder.

Scott Stewart pitched the ninth inning for his seventh save and second in two nights.

Ohka (7-3) retired nine straight after right fielder Guerrero threw out Suzuki at the plate on Carlos Beltran’s single to right to end the fourth.

The right-hander allowed nine hits and three runs two earned in seven-plus innings, leaving after allowing Mike Sweeney’s leadoff single in the eighth.

Kansas City has lost 13 of 17 games.

“We are trying to find a way to win a ballgame,” Royals manager Tony Pena said. “We play hard every single day. You don’t see any of those guys giving up. If my players give up, then I have a problem with that, but we didn’t give up. Everybody keeps fighting every day and as a manager, that’s all I can ask.”

The Royals scored two in the third on Beltran’s run-scoring double and Raul Ibanez’s RBI grounder to make it 3-2.

Suzuki, 0-1 with a 9.49 ERA in five relief appearances this season, allowed five hits and four runs in five innings.