MONTREAL, May 28 (UPI) -- Sean Casey had four hits and three RBI and Ken Griffey, Jr. belted his 493rd career homer Friday night as Cincinnati held off Montreal, 7-6.
Griffey's homer was a two-run shot that chased Expos starter Claudio Vargas (3-3) with none out in the fifth. That tied the Reds' slugger with Lou Gehrig for 20th place on the all-time list.
Cory Lidle (4-4) allowed five runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings but picked up the win. He helped his own cause with an RBI single against Expos reliever Luis Ayala in the top of the seventh that opened a 7-3 cushion.
Lidle and Mike Matthews gave up three runs in the bottom of the seventh before John Riedling got the final out to preserve the lead. Riedling pitched a scoreless eighth before Danny Graves tossed a perfect ninth for his 22nd save in 26 opportunities.
Vargas was rocked for six runs and nine hits in four-plus innings. The Expos lost for the seventh time in eight games.
