Pinch Hit

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The first day off in more than a year for one player and the first major-league start for another gave the Orioles a new look last night against the Oakland Athletics.And, according to manager Ray Miller, the tinkering may continue today as he searches for ways to freshen his team during a concentrated run of road games.His 15-game hitting streak now a memory, left fielder B. J. Surhoff was absent from the starting lineup after appearing in the Orioles' previous 47 games this season and all 162 games last season.

DETROIT -- Orioles manager Ray Miller held Eric Davis and Chris Hoiles out of the lineup last night, but said both players should be available today after leaving Thursday's game in Kansas City because of injuries.Davis twisted his left ankle when he started and stopped on an attempted steal of third base in the eighth inning of the Orioles' 2-1 victory. Hoiles was hurt in the bottom half of the inning while blocking the plate and tagging out Kansas City's Shane Halter to prevent the tying run from scoring.

Manager Ray Miller's philosophy with young players who are just up from the minors is to get them at-bats as soon as possible. Don't keep them waiting too long, where nerves and doubts can set in.Double-A infielder Jerry Hairston started at second base Friday night, going 0-for-3 with a run scored. And yesterday, Bowie teammate Calvin Pickering took his turn, serving as the Orioles' designated hitter."The biggest thing for all these guys is just to see the big leagues," Miller said.Pickering saw enough of knuckleballer Steve Sparks, striking out in all three at-bats in a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Angels.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Kent Mercker wasn't sorry he pitched last night. He just wasn't pleased with the results.The left-hander pitched two shaky innings as the Orioles used a pair of five-run innings to beat their top affiliate, the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings, 11-9, in an exhibition game before 9,302 fans at Silver Stadium.Mercker allowed one run on three hits, walked two and struck out two. Not exactly what the doctor ordered for a pitcher with a 9.25 ERA."For whatever reason, there's no life in my arm," Mercker, 28, said in the visitors' clubhouse during the game.

ATLANTA -- Andy Pettite refused to watch the end of Game 5 of the World Series last night, looking away, the way a childmight hide his eyes from a horror movie. Pettitte was afraid of the nightmare that might occur.He missed a happy ending. New York right fielder Paul O'Neill made a running, lunging catch of a line drive by pinch hitter Luis Polonia, saving the 1-0 victory for Pettitte -- the third straight win Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium for the Yankees, who lead the World Series, three games to two,The Yankees, earning a record eighth consecutive postseason road victory, go back to New York needing to only win one of the final two games to win their first championship in 18 years.

On the field: Brady Anderson, who hit his 41st homer yesterday, is only the third player to hit more than 40 homers in a season and steal more than 50 bases in a season (he stole 53 in 1992). The other two are Ryne Sandberg (40, 54) and Barry Bonds (46, 52).In the dugout: B. J. Surhoff, out of the starting lineup the last two xTC days, pinch hit for catcher Mark Parent in the seventh inning. Surhoff grounded out, and Chris Hoiles took over at catcher. If Pete Incaviglia wasn't so hot, Surhoff might've taken over in left and Hoiles would've batted in Incaviglia's spot -- a rare AL double-switch.

Brooks Robinson was crowding 40, but on that April night in 1977, his legions of fans were able to banish the depressing thought of his age from their minds. Robinson stood in front of his locker after the game, smiling. With a wink, he said, "The kid can still play."The kid had one more home run in his bat, anyway. With the Orioles trailing the Cleveland Indians 5-3 in the bottom of the 10th inning, Robinson had hit a game-winning, three-run homer as a pinch hitter for Larry Harlow. It was his 268th and last.

Last year, Leo Gomez was the hunter. This year, he is the prey.With his hot bat and a mandate from owner Peter Angelos in 1994, Gomez took Chris Sabo's job away at third base.But Gomez is struggling at the plate so badly this year that not even the benefactor he referred to as "Uncle Angelos" may be able to save him.After going 0-for-3 last night, Gomez is 0-for-14 since hitting safely in his first four games. Regan has not said he is ready to make a change at third base, but, even with no apparent challengers, Gomez is uneasy.

NEW YORK -- The acquisition of third baseman Mike Pagliarulo, obtained by the Orioles yesterday from the Minnesota Twins, likely won't affect Tim Hulett's status.The Orioles announced during yesterday's 1-0 loss to the New York Yankees that they had traded a player to be named for Pagliarulo. Assistant general manager Frank Robinson, who is traveling with the club, said Pagliarulo was added primarily to provide a left-handed hitter off the bench."We didn't get him to sit Hulett back on the bench," said Robinson.

The Orioles finally are reaping the benefits of their effort to persuade reserve catcher Mark Parent to remain in the organization after he was optioned to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings at the end of spring training.Parent has two hits and two RBI in his first seven at-bats since he was recalled, but that isn't really the issue. The payoff was in the club's ability to reach down into the minor leagues and come up with another experienced catcher in the middle of a pennant race.That has allowed manager Johnny Oates to be conservative with starting catcher Chris Hoiles, who has been sidelined with a muscle strain in his lower back.

Catching a break Trying to hold a one-run lead in the final two innings, the Orioles got more steady relief work from Jim Johnson and George Sherrill, along with a favorable call from first base umpire Larry Vanover. With one out and nobody on in the eighth, Phillies leadoff man Jimmy Rollins hit a chopper down the first base line. Ty Wigginton fielded it but with his momentum carrying him in another direction, he whiffed on the tag of Rollins. Vanover thought otherwise and called the runner out. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel was ejected from the game for arguing the call.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING The much-anticipated rematch between Yankees starter Joba Chamberlain and Orioles first baseman Aubrey Huff lasted all of two pitches. Huff, who playfully taunted Chamberlain earlier this month with twin fist bumps after hitting a home run off him, hit a two-out single against the Yankees right-hander in the first inning. After the at-bat, Chamberlain was taken out of the game with a right-leg injury, suffered when he was drilled by Adam Jones' liner. COUNTS FOR SOMETHING Thursday was a night of firsts for Orioles infielder Ty Wigginton, who started the game on the bench but ended up having a memorable night.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Orioles starting catcher Ramon Hernandez sat out for the second consecutive game yesterday with a sore left wrist that has him concerned. Hernandez said he has been dealing with wrist pain - which increases significantly when he turns his hand while swinging a bat - for about two weeks. He tried to play through it but decided before Saturday night's game that it hurt too much to grip a bat. He said he expects to see a doctor today in Baltimore. "I've got to check it out," Hernandez said, "because you know that's the hand I had surgery on [in 2005]

Do you enjoy the National League style of play? I always did. Managing in the minor leagues in the [Chicago] Cubs system, we didn't have the DH and it kind of gets everybody involved. It also reminds your starting pitcher that he has to stay away from the big inning, because, if he doesn't, he won't be around very long. And if your starting pitcher can't bunt, he usually gets pinch hit for earlier than needed.

Bonds watch-- Homers needed to tie Babe Ruth: 3-- Yesterday: 1-for-2 with a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the ninth inning.

BATTING LINE OF THE DAY Hank Blalock, Rangers 3B AB R H RBI HR 5 4 4 1 1 PITCHING LINE OF THE DAY Zach Duke, Pirates IP H R BB SO 8 6 0 2 4 WHO'S HOT Jason Marquis of the Cardinals doubled for his National League-leading 16th hit as a pitcher. He also has one pinch hit. WHO'S NOT Josh Towers of the Blue Jays has given up 14 runs and 27 hits in 14 innings in his past three starts.

It's a fact Roger Clemens, 41, is the old est pitcher to win his first seven starts. Randy Johnson won his first six in 2002 at 38. Milestone Julio Franco, 45, of the Braves broke his record as the oldest player to hit a pinch-hit homer. The number 6,000: miles the Diamond backs will travel on a four-city, 20-day trip that began Tuesday.

Who's hot Alex Cora of the Dodgers is hitting .385 (10-for-26) in his past nine games. Who's not Craig Wilson of the Pirates, who tied the NL record with seven pinch-hit HRs last sea son, is 1-for-12 with no HRs. Line of the day Trot Nixon, Red Sox RF AB R H RBI HR 6 2 2 5 2

Quote: "The great ones all turn it up in September. - Giants manager Dusty Baker on Barry Bonds after he won Tuesday's game. Last night, Bonds hit his 47th homer, a career high. It's a fact: Los Angeles' Dave Hansen's seventh pinch-hit homer Tuesday broke a 68-year-old majors record for such hits in one season. Who's hot: Eric Young's 52nd stolen base of the season last night for Cincinnati was his 26th in a row. Who's not: Milwaukee right-hander John Snyder allowed seven runs and nine hits over 4 1/3 innings Tuesday night and was tagged with his seventh straight loss.

NEW YORK - There is no rhyme or reason anymore. The Orioles lost five straight games to the lowly Tampa Bay Devil Rays and small-market Montreal Expos, but found a way to beat the National League's winningest pitcher of 1999. Perhaps more important, they came from behind to present Mike Mussina with a well-deserved 4-2 victory over the New York Mets in the opener of a three-game interleague series at Shea Stadium. Mets ace Mike Hampton, who won 22 games for the Houston Astros a year ago, held the struggling Orioles lineup in check for six innings, but B. J. Surhoff launched a game-tying home run in the seventh to spark a three-run rally that propelled Mussina to only his third victory in nine decisions.