NL | Out of order: Reds baffled in 9th inning

Dusty Baker, you're out of order.

That was Mets manager Willie Randolph to his Reds counterpart in a very strange, and long, top of the ninth inning in the Mets' 8-3 victory Sunday at Shea.

The basics: Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano started the inning and faced catcher David Ross, hitting in the eighth spot. Ross lined out to right. The problem was Ross had been double-switched into the game in the bottom of the sixth inning as a pinch-hitter for pitcher Bill Bray — slated to hit ninth — and would replace starting catcher Paul Bako, who had batted eighth the first six innings, defensively. Corey Patterson was inserted in the eighth inning to play center field and was supposed to hit eighth in place of reliever Jeremy Affeldt.

Got it? Put it this way: Ross hit eighth instead of ninth.

After Ross flew out, Randolph went to home-plate umpire Dale Scott — also the crew chief — and notified him of the mistake. That sent Scott to the Reds dugout for a conference with Baker, then back to Randolph and finally to the three other umpires for three separate sands-through-the-hourglass meetings.

"Batting out of order can be one of the more confusing rules, you have to really think it through," Scott told a small group of reporters afterward in the umpires' locker room. "We wanted to make sure we're doing it right. I've never had it. This is my 23rd year [in the majors]. That was why it seemed to take an eternity. We wanted to make sure we were applying the rule correctly."

"You tell the guys to check the board but it's my job," Baker said. "As a manager, you take responsibility for it."

Ross said that wasn't necessary.

"Dusty didn't walk [me] out there," Ross said. "I made a mistake and batted out of order. Plain and simple."

Ross had to hit again, and this time he singled.

Atlanta: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that both John Smoltz and Rafael Soriano did some throwing and were encouraged by the sessions. Smoltz threw for the first time in two weeks as he recovers from inflammation of the rotator cuff and biceps tendon. He made 25 throws to bullpen catcher Eddie Perez.

Milwaukee: Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo will have surgery Tuesday to repair a torn ligament in his right knee and will likely miss the rest of the season. Gallardo said there was no chance he could avoid having surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament and he will complete his rehabilitation in Milwaukee. He hopes to return in September or October.

Washington: The Nationals optioned LHP Mike O'Connor to Class AAA Columbus after Washington's 5-4 loss to the Florida Marlins and recalled RHP Chris Schroder from the Clippers.

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