MONTREAL – Moved up in the batting order, Tomo Ohka beat the Cincinnati Reds with his arm, not his bat.

Ohka became the first major league pitcher in more than five years to bat higher than ninth in the starting lineup and went hitless in two at-bats, but he worked 6 2-3 strong innings to lead the Montreal Expos to a 6-2 win over the Reds.

With his team having lost eight of nine, Expos manager Frank Robinson batted Ohka eighth in the lineup “to try something different.” He moved Jamey Carroll, who was hitting .256 coming in, to the ninth spot. Ohka was hitting .118.

It was the first time a pitcher batted higher than ninth in the starting lineup in the majors since St. Louis’ Matt Morris hit eighth against Montreal on Sept. 27, 1998, and Eli Marrero moved down to the No. 9 spot.

The move immediately backfired when Ohka grounded out with the bases loaded to end a first-inning rally, helping Reds rookie Joe Valentine escape a jam trailing only 2-1.

Ohka also grounded out to end the fourth with runners on first and second.

Ohka finished 0-for-2 with a walk. Carroll went 1-for-3 with walk.

Brad Wilkerson and Endy Chavez homered for Montreal, which remains an NL worst 16-33. Nick Johnson drew three of the Expos’ season-high 10 walks.

Ohka (3-5) allowed six hits and two runs – one earned – to improve to 3-0 in his last five starts after beginning the season 0-5.

Despite building a 4-1 lead, Montreal left 10 runners on base through the first four innings.

Chad Cordero got the final six outs for his first save.

Wilkerson hit his sixth homer off Mike Matthews in the fifth to make it 5-1.

Willie Mo Pena hit his first career pinch-hit homer off Ohka with one out in the seventh to draw the Reds to within 5-2.

Chavez homered for the second straight game to restore Montreal’s four-run lead.

Cincinnati’s D’Angelo Jimenez went 4-for-4 to tie his career high for hits in a game. He has four four-hit games, including May 19 against Colorado.

Valentine (0-1), making his first career start in place of injured seven-game winner Paul Wilson, walked two of the first three batters he faced before Tony Batista’s RBI double tied the game at 1.

Johnson walked to load the bases and Terrmel Sledge hit an RBI grounder to first to make it 2-1.

Brian Schneider was intentionally walked and Ohka fouled out to first baseman Sean Casey’s on Valentine’s first pitch.

Valentine, who was recalled from Triple-A Louisville, gave up a leadoff single to Carroll in the second and left after allowing his fifth walk to Wilkerson.

Valentine allowed two hits and three runs in one-plus innings. Norton walked four and allowed three hits and one run in three innings.

Notes: Valentine made two relief appearances with the Reds last season. … Steve Renko was the last Expos pitcher to bat higher than ninth in the starting lineup when he hit eighth against San Diego on Aug. 23, 1973. Renko went 2-for-3 in a 4-2 loss to the Padres at Jarry Park. … Montreal drew a team-record 13 walks against Pittsburgh on Sept. 14, 1974.

AP-ES-05-30-04 1618EDT