LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers third-base coach Larry Bowa was suspended for three games and fined by the commissioner's office today following a wild argument.

Bowa was ejected from last night's game against San Francisco in the sixth inning by umpire Ed Montague, who had told him to keep within the boundaries of the coaching box.

Bob Watson, baseball's vice president in charge of discipline, cited Bowa for "inappropriate and aggressive conduct," which included making contact with Montague several times.

Major League Baseball announced in late February that starting this year, first- and third-base coaches must not cross the lines toward home plate or the field until batted balls pass them. Only then can they take up other spots to guide runners.

In November, general managers decided big league base coaches must wear protective headgear this year, starting with exhibition games.

Double-A first base coach Mike Coolbaugh was killed by a line drive to the neck last season.

Third-base coaches routinely stand much closer to the plate than the lines permit, trying to get a better look at where outfielders are positioned.

"I did it all spring, nobody said a word," Bowa said after the game. "I did it yesterday, nobody said a word. It's impossible to coach third and stay in the box with a runner at second."

Montague said it was "probably one of the dumbest ejections he's had."

"We got a memo and an edict, and they're adamant about the box and stuff," the umpire said. "Don't go up in front of the box toward home plate, and don't get any closer to the foul lines. I told Bo in the bottom of the fifth, because he got up close. And that's what caught my eye. And I just told him, 'Bo, you got the memo, we got the memo, and you've got to stay back.' I went over and told Joe in-between innings what I told Bo. And Bo just said, 'I'm going to do it the way I've always been doing it.'

"I said, 'Bo, if you go up, I'm going to have to run you.' And he said, 'Do what you've got to do, and it is what it is.' When he got up in front of it again, I said, 'Bo, I told you once, now get back in the box.' He argued it, and finally I said, 'You're gone.' So I gave him every chance in the book and he defied it."

The ejection was Bowa's first since July 11, 2004, when he was managing Philadelphia and got banished after arguing balls and strikes with umpire Rob Drake. He was ejected 22 times during his four-year stint as Phillies manager, and five times while piloting San Diego — all in 1987.

One of those ejections with the Padres stemmed from his contention that New York Mets pitcher Ron Darling had deliberately thrown at John Kruk after Kruk had homered in his previous at-bat. Bowa's first ejection as a big league manager came in his first home game with the Padres, after second base ump Bob Engle ruled interference against baserunner Tim Flannery — turning a potential run into an inning-ending double play.

The previous year, Bowa's only one as a minor league manager, he was thumbed five times with the Padres' Triple-A club in Las Vegas. Two of those ejections were by Pam Postema, the first one for spitting in her direction during an argument. The next one came a day later, followed by a 9-minute verbal barrage by Bowa against Postema before going to the showers. Both incidents led to consecutive suspensions from the Pacific Coast League.

The Dodgers are the fifth team Bowa has worked for as a third base coach, along with the Yankees, Phillies, Angels and Mariners.