squeeze it and your arm doesn't straight been out. that's not a good thing not to major league hitters. >> gary: brian schneider has hit into a ground ball, -- double play, grounded out. the left-hander luis castillo. that's in there for a strike. last five games, he's hit pretty well .368. good on-base percentage over the last month for castillo. he, again s-like a leadoff batter in the number nine spot. he's trying to get on and use his speed to create havoc on the base paths pads. >> jim: jerry manuel in spring training let him off. came in 17 pounds lighter than last year. had knee problems. i asked jerry why did you do that? he said, number one, castillo showed me he cared. came in in great shape. number two, i want jose reyes

to hit because if we had any injuries, he could be a number three hitter. >> gary: that one grounded towards the hole. andino will have to make a great play. not this time. it came off the wall. he turned to second, realize it had and gets back to the bag. >> jim: i like the range of being able to get to that ball. again, a kid that has proved probably defensively he's an every day shortstop. look at this range. long, long way. that's an awfully tough throw. nice play by huff at least trying to get over there anticipating. you can see how far he had to come off the bag. >> gary: it will be an infield single. that will be it for jeremy guthrie. top of the order, left-hander cora coming up. jeremy guthrie will come out of there working 6 1/3 inningssurrenders the six hits so far, four runs, three earned and castillo will come on to pitch. @@pp÷÷

>> gary: so, jeremy guthr will leave. there's the line to this point as he'll be responsible for the base runner on castillo. coming on to pitch, alberto castillo jurs just his fourth appearance. >> jim: yeah, his job it to get left-handed batters out. 1-5, he's only faced eight. 1-8 totally. came in the other night and the first left-hander he faced, he walked. >> gary: here is cora, the left- handed batter. the leadoff batter will take the pitch up high for a ball.

runner at first, castillo. there is one away. castillo hitting .323 off left- handers. he's 20-62. while at the other end of it, he's on at first base, you we go cora -- get cora at the plate, .310 off left-handers. those are your eight and number nine and number one guys both of whom to with -- do well against the leftiies. >> jim: the reason for alex is basically he's a line drive hitter. he's not going to overswing. all the good left-handed hitters that hit left-handed pitchinghave in common is the front shoulder stays close so they can cover the plate. >> gary: he's got a base hit. markakis over to get it will hold the runner at second base. now there are two on with one away as the mets threaten to get back one or maybe both of those runs they gave up in the last half inning. >> jim: you can't come in throwing 87 miles per hour an hour if you're -- if you're a lefty to face lefty.

you become too predictable especially if you throw a belt high pitch. cora was all over it. a veteran player taking advantage. castillo is 33. he just has to make better quality pitches. baez up again for the second time tonight. >> gary: martinez has drawn a walk and scored officially 0-2. two on, one out. martinez takes the breaking ball, but is in there for a strike. fernando martinez only 53 at- bats so far. 11 hits getting some playing time because of the injuries to the mets and getting the start in left field his eighth start there. the delivery close to the middle and that will be a base hit. runner will hold up. castillo makes the turn and will stay. jones hits the cutoff man and the bases are loaded with one away here in the seventh inning as the players castillo was supposed to be able to get have both reached base. >> jim: yeah, unlucky on this pitch. he throws a pretty good

breaking ball and dave trembley to come out and bring in danys baez who really hasn't had a problem with lefties or righties. situational lefties. you come in to face them. look at that pitch. it's down and away. breaks his bat. terrific at-bat by the youngster. he's only 20 years old. >> gary: that will be it for castillo as he's unable to get the two batters out he faces and surrenders two hits. bases are led -- loaded. seventh inning. mets have the 4-2 lead. baez coming on and carlos beltran will be coming up with the sacks full. úúxx

>> gary: well, bays baez works  out of the -- danys baez works out of the pen. these are the situations you end up with. bases load, beltran's up. >> jim: not a particularly easy situation even though beltran is 0-7. baez was just -- has just been terrific and a pretty good sinking fastball. 93-94 as he chases one that i don't know if you really want to be in that zone. you can seat velocity. there they are, mets everywhere. bases loaded. >> gary: castillo got sage at third. cora singled. he's on at second. martinez singled. he's on at first. baez facing beltran who is 1-7 with bases load this had year, but a dangerous hitter. chop to first base. huff will come home. there's one. wieters no chance to go back and held on to it. so, they get the out at the plate and that is the second out of the inning.

>> jim: the story in the "baltimore sun" was about baez. now beltran is 0-8 against him. the story talked about how he struggled in spring training coming off tommy john. great pitch. there's the splitter. upper 80s to the low 90s. didn't really think he was going to be able to get through spring training. tried to make him a starter. he got arm strength. the rest has been history. he's been jowz outstanding. >> gary: and a big, big situation here. here is wright. bases loaded. wright will take it inside. he's faced baez only once. 1-1. the major league's leading hitter an rbi single in the ballgame 1-3 now has an 11-game hit streak going. >> jim: pretty good career average .364. >> gary: 1-0 delivery to him. slider will miss outside. no place to put him here. looking for an out that would keep this a two-run ballgame. >> jim: you made a great point.

you come oust bullpen bases load to the number one and thn number -- number two and number one leading hitters in the national league and you have to relax. >> gary: there is is the 2-0 victory. baez falls behind. the bullpen of the orioles last dozen games they've been outstanding a 2.72 over those games. wright is taking in there for a strike. 3-1. >> jim: when danys baez is on, you can see 94 the ball sinks. you pretty much have to trust injure stuff. throw to the middle of the plate. hope it doesn't go there. >> gary: 2-1 delivery on the way. wright, did he go after it? he fouled it off. that was like the melvin mora pitch that road right -- rode right in on his hand. >> jim: except there wasn't two strikes. it was a 3-1 pitch. that ball gets the bat. i think it must have hit the catcher or umpire and came pack

into fair territory. >> gary: 3-2 delivery. another one fouled off. bases loaded, two down. mets have the 4-2 lead here in the seventh inning. much of this ballgame will ride on what happens in this at-bat. baez against wright swung on and he fouled it off aagain -- i -- off again. 3-0 that he nubd right at the plate. >> jim: that late life velocity going off at 95. danys baez this year has been about movement. velocity, good movement, good sink on the ball and then the split-finger. >> gary: 2 3-2 leclair i -- 3-2 delivery again. wright pops it up. roberts, huff and he dropped it! it is a fair ball! two runs have scored! the third error of the game on the orioles and more unearned runs. >> jim: that is a ball that

brian roberts just has to run aubrey huff off of. he was coasting. he's got -- it's a tough play for a first baseman. easy play for a second baseman. obviously, huff is a bigger guy, but brian could have easily caught it and i suppose that aubrey could have too, but that's a tough play over your shoulder. >> gary: jim, i agree. brian roberts has just got to get there and make that play. >> jim: he could have been there easily. he has to run him off i got it, i got it. again, communication. we saw it saturday night. you know, obviously it's something you can't anticipate. you're playing the game. it's just an easier play for the second baseman. >> gary: wow. >> jim: aubrey again first year full time at first base and that's a tough play. >> gary: baez wants to set it will down here. runners on at first and third, two runs in. 6-2 lead. the runs -- anything scored here now is going to be unearned as that should have been the end of the inning.

>> jim: the amazing thing about it is baez goes 3-0. he comes back and finally throws five straight strikes and gets the pop-up. the orioles misplay it. >> gary: ryan church has an rbi single. 1-3. he also strikeout and reached on a pass ball his last time up. 1-0 count. orioles, the defense tonight has really let them down. three errors in the ballgame. so far, three unearned runs in the game for the mets. 1-0 delivery by baez. that one to third was spin. roberts didn't get to second. throw to first. church is retired. a very tough inning. seventh inning stretchtime brought to you by jack daniel's tennessee whiskey. please drink responsibly.

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>> gary: well, for the or the defense that has been a problem at different times and as we mentioned earlier seemingly the errors the orioles have committed have notjust been errors but have cost them in runs could so -- do so again. jeremy guthrie, 6 1/3. he'll be charged wall six runs, but only three of them earned. he walked two and struck out four. let's take a look at our freeze cam brought to you by frost- brewed coors light. the world's most refreshing beer. >> jim: take a look right here. obviously, this is a wall that -- ball that brian roberts could have coe have gotten to. i'm not sure he could have gotten huff to come off it. he had the better angle. it appeared to me when you really slow it down that aubrey was very intent on catching that ball and he just didn't. again, it was a a difficult play? certainly. it's not an easy play. the better angle for the second baseman, but when you go back and look at it real slowly, i'm not sure that aubrey -- brian

could have gotten squashedment he looked like he was my ball, my daal ball and doesn't come one it. >> gary: so, a 6-2 lead and a grounder right back to the mound by wieters. the flip over to first by sean green who came out of the bullpen to get the last out in the sixth inning gets it done there. one away on one pitch for wieters and andino and roberts will follow. >> jim: the bullpen for the mets was the problem so they get sean green and j.j. putz. he had the elbow problems. two years ago, he had 40 saves. they get k-rod who set the all- time record for saves who has been terrific other than the dropoff fly on friday night. only one blown save. that wasn't much to do with him. >> gary: robert andino at the plate as pedro feliciano is in the bullpen warming up. >> jim: there's your left- handed specialist. this is a guy that can flat out

get lefties out. >> gary: 1-0 delivery on the way. inside to andino. so, orioles who picked up two runs in the sixth inning on the home run by nick markakis, his eighth of the year, had those runs picked right back up again by the mets in the top half of the seventh inning. one ball, one strike count, andino. chopper, fair ball. green, two down. two away in the bottom half of the seventh. >> jim: you can see what sean green does so well. he sinks the ball. he's got a way with a hanging slider or a breaking ball, whatever he calls it to nolan reimold who saw it last inning and eyes light up and hit it right at the left fielder. one thing about the mets, they are a terrific home team 18-11. on the road, they need to start

winning some games. 14-18. their e.r.a. about a run and a half lower, .330 at home. .498 coming into this game on the road. big, big difference. >> gary: that makes sense with their new ballpark we've talked about. they play in a lot of ballparks that are hitter's yards. they don't. they play in a pitcher's yard. the things the pitcher's can get away in their home field at citi field they can't get away with in places like philadelphia. >> jim: other than the right field scoreboard, here most of the fence sheer seven feet. they have like seven different heights t starts like at 12 and goes to 18. much higher than shea stadium. >> gary: a ground ball towards third thief they had the shift on. wright makes the play. orioles go easily in the seventh inning as green shuts them down 1-2-3. 

>> gary: it's time to tex your vote for the at & f player of the game. here are your candidates. nick markakis, two rbi homer in the game. cora who a -- who had a couple of hits and run a scored and wright, the world's leading hitter, rbi base hit picked up 11-game hit streak. text in your vote to a, b or c to 518626789 baez remains on the mound. gary sheffield will stand in against him as we go to the top half of the eighth inning, a 6- 2 lead. let me correct the line i gave you on rie. guthrie, 6 1/3, five runs,

three earned on six hits, two walks and four strikeouts. an unearned run charged to castillo part of an inning gave up two hits and now baez working. gary sheffield has singled, 1-3 in the ballgame. the dh hitting at .1. he'll fight one that off. throughout his career, he has donesomeing you would never teach hitters to do and that's be in constant movement at theplate. that ggle waggle has always been there. he just winds upand swings. that one to center field. jones back. sheffield retired. >> jim: i think aisle i'm going to tack that with hard. swings hard. >> gary: yes. >> jim: one of the great -- larry haney who played for the orioles, played for a number of teams. he was coaching with milwaukee when gary sheffield came up. he said nolan ryan pitched early on when he was 18 years

old and threw him a high fastball and he hit it over their dugout which means ed it it straht foul. next pitch was right at hischin. >> gary: again, jones. this one off the bat of o down. jim: otheit's right back over e dugout. so, the point i was trying to make earlier for a team on the last day of the year whether it's injuries or two years ago or whether they played very poorly, he's going to help not the fact we talk about gary sheffield that he can still play it appears at 40, ng to give them the stuff that winning teams need. i mean, he's been through the wars. he is a warrior. >> gary: he has done that. he really was going to be done. he was ready to retire at the end of the year. i talked with him early in the season. sheffield said the only reason i came back was the mets and the fact that i have some friends here and they really were on me all winter and said you've got to come. you've got to come play. he said, so i agreed.

boy, are they happy did he. with all the injuries they've had, they've really needed his bat in the lineup. a two strike count on brian schneider who is 1-2 and has picked up an rbi. this has been a very tough night for the orioles so far. had a chance in the fourth inning to get out of it maybe. four runs were scored by the mets. an error on the ground ball that -- ground ball that brian roberts had that probably would have been a double play. that one down the line in left. reimold going over to get it. making the turn heading for second, schneider. he's going to be in with a double. he's got a 2-3 ballgame for the number eight hitter. >> jim: happy to be playing. back problems we mentioned leg problems. boy, if you're a catcher and your legs hurt and your back hurts, the s. i. joint. here is a double swing. he gets one up in the strike zone and slice it down the line. nolan reimold will run it down.

now everybody -- that's the way they play castillo. like we played maury wills in the '66 series. shallow and left. >> gary: he'll slash it away when he has the opportunity. reimold way over on the foul line. big gavin in left center. >> jim: look at jones. they really should be. >> gary: castillo batting ninth. hit into a double play and ground out. baez 0-1 to him. castillo, two at-bats in the times he's fit faced geaz baez. he's hitting a the .280. 14 rbi's. gets an rbi chance with schneider throughout with two down. >> jim: he's stolen some bases 7-9. >> gary: castillo, 1-1 to him taken down low for a ball. albers in the bullpen now. first time up for albers. castillo, 33 years old.

a .292 career major league batting average. a good one. 2-1 delivery to him. that slider is going to catch the inside corner for a strike and it will go 2-2. >> jim: certainly not the runner that scored -- stole 50, 62 bases when he first came up with the marlins because of the age and the knee problem. he's got to get on base and turn the double play, play good defense for the mets help in that ballpark. >> gary: 2-2 delivery looped in the air. reimold coming hard reaching can't get it. how about torii hunter? 8-0, runs into the fence, hurts his leg, bruises his ribs. eight-run lead. >> gary: an important ball player who is going to miss some games. i mean, you give it one for the hustle, but you know something? discretion sometimes is the better part of valor. >> jim: especially the way a lot of walls are. obviously, the players most of the walls are pad.

there are supports behind them and some of the -- you don't even know where they are. >> gary: straight up the middle baez. gets the out on castillo. no runs, one hit, no errors and one left on base. danys baez got it. it remains a 6-2, mets lead. you salt-wash everything and let it breeze dry. knit, delicate, permanent press... the ocean doesn't care. so grab your bag.

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it's the four-day instructional program with player appearance by a current and former oriole, professional instructors, autograph and photo opportunities, daily lunch giveaways and complementary o's tickets g to orioles.com and click on fan forum to register and find out more. yes, the young ladies are always invited. a 6-2 ballgame, nine hits on the board for the mets. nick markakis, two rbi homer accounting for the orioles two runs. bottom half of the eighth inning, jones, sean green has come out of the bullpen and retired all four batters that he's faced. pelfrey, two runs, five hits over 5 2/3, the starter. >> jim: boy, is he on a ro. he's retired 31-35 last hitters he's faced. >> gary: 0-1 delivery to jones a slider with a lot of movement and ended up way outside.

1-1. >> jim: 14 innings now over his last 13 appearances. if he would somehow get through this inning, would he pitch longer than he has all year long. >> gary: jones to short. hard hit. one away, markakis markakis. he delivered the long ball sixth inning. jones singled in front of him. markakis gets his eighth home run of the year, second hit of the game as he's also picked up a single and that is going to be it for green. he's coming out of the ballgame. >> jim: again, you have pedro feliciano who we mentioned has been lights out against lefties. that's what you're matching up with markakis and huff coming to the plate. >> gary: so, manuel is doing it by