ORIOLES 8, METS 7
in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Thursday, March 8

Orioles at the plate: Adam Donachie hit a three-run home run in the second inning, when the Orioles scored three times against Orlando Hernandez. Jay Payton's double to right in the fifth scored one run. Payton and Ruddy Yan had two hits each.

Mets at the plate: Shawn Green singled through the right side with a runner on base in the sixth, his first hit after 15 unsuccessful spring at-bats. Jose Reyes and Jose Valentin had RBI doubles in the Mets' three-run fifth inning. Ben Johnson blasted a two-run homer in the eighth.

Orioles on the mound: Daniel Cabrera struck out four and allowed one hit in three innings. Jon Leicester allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Mets on the mound: Hernandez made his spring debut, pitching two weeks after receiving a diagnosis of arthritis of the neck and an injection of cortisone. He retired the side in order in the first inning, but allowed five runs in the second, three on a home run by catcher Donachie. El Duque surrendered hits to five straight batters after taking a ground ball, hit by Brandon Fahey, off his left foot. Mike Pelfrey made his second appearance of the spring, pitching three innings. His first six outs came on ground balls. He allowed two unearned runs in the fifth.

Jason Vargas pitched a scoreless sixth. A strong one-hop throw from shallow center field to the plate by Endy Chavez spared Vargas in the seventh, but the Orioles eventually scored on an infield hit.

Grapefruit League records: Orioles 5-1; Mets 3-6.

Up next: The Mets, who play the Tigers three times in the regular season, play them in an exhibition game for the second time Friday, when John Maine makes his second start of the spring in Port St. Lucie. Billy Wagner and Aaron Heilman also are to face the defending American League champions in the 1:10 p.m. ET game available on MLB.TV. Kenny Rogers starts for the Tigers. The Orioles play the Nationals at home Friday at 1:05 p.m. Jaret Wright starts for the Orioles, and Matt Chico for the Nationals.