Barry

Zito

Beane added he was done making “major” trades this winter. The Orioles appeared to have the most interest in Zito. We’ll believe Beane that the left-hander won’t be dealt this winter, but a trade in July could be a possibility.

Since Zito is signed for two years, he wouldn’t come any cheaper than Hudson. Sources told the Baltimore Sun that the A’s wanted Erik Bedard and pitching prospects John Maine and Hayden Penn for either Hudson or Zito. The A’s don’t seem very interested in B.J. Ryan because he’s just a year away from free agency.

Zito threw eight innings and 110 pitches yesterday, and Macha wants him back on the mound on Friday, so he called on All-Star manager Mike Scioscia to ''do the right thing,’' adding that his pitcher is more in need of a rest than Roy Halladay, whose manager doesn’t want him pitching either.

He struck out eight, including six of the first nine batters he faced. Run support has played a key role in Zito’s impressive winning streak, but he has allowed two runs or fewer in seven of his last nine starts.

He was 6-0 with a 2.51 ERA, for the month, so he was certainly deserving.

Zito has won eight consecutive starts, a stretch in which opponents are hitting .199 against him.

All five runs scored in the seventh. The Orioles loaded the bases with a double, an infield single and a hit by pitch, making one out in the process. Sammy Sosa then had a 25-foot infield single to score a run, and a bases-loaded walk to Alejandro Friere forced in another run. That brought up Jay Gibbons, who hit a potential double-play ball, only to watch Bobby Crosby throw away the relay to second. Zito was pulled and the Orioles went on to score one more time.

Zito gave up seven hits and walked three, but two double play balls in scoring situations helped the left-hander come away relatively unharmed. After dropping the series opener on April 6, the Athletics have won the last 10 games in the series. Until Raul Ibanez singled home a run in the third, Zito had gone 21 straight innings without allowing a run to the Mariners.

Zito gave up homers to Carlos Lee, Rod Barajas, Gary Matthews Jr. and Mark DeRosa to tie his career high. Because of two rough outings in his last four turns, his ERA is up to 3.73, which is as high as it has been since mid-May.

The seven walks matched his career high. Surprisingly, Zito threw only 105 pitches in the game. Thanks to increasing run support, he’s 5-0 in his last six starts.