It wasn’t easy but Hondo managed to escape with a Giant victory yesterday in San Fran, which enabled him to lower his deficit to 850 triandoses.

Tonight, Matusz! Matusz! Matusz! Ten units on the Oriole southpaw to tame Texas.

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Andy Pettitte completed another minor league start and is expected to be back with the Yankees soon. Sources say his arm seems OK, but there is concern he may have forgotten how to pitch in the big leagues, given his recent memory lapse at the Clemens trial … Shaquille O’Neal was awarded a doctorate degree in education from Barry University. That’s a pretty high honor for a guy with a severe mumbling problem.

hondo@nypost.com