Why didn’t Bobby Valentine pinch-hit with the bases loaded and Rey Ordonez up with one out in the sixth last night?

Valentine said it was because the Mets were again playing short-handed last night. Ordonez ended up hitting the ball three feet into a weak double play as Jorge Posada touched home and threw on to first, the key play in the Yankees’ 4-1 win.

With Robin Ventura and Benny Agbayani unavailable, Valentine explained he was left with a short bench.

At that point, the Mets had a 1-0 lead and Glendon Rusch had a no-hitter.

Valentine said he has also vowed never to make a change when a no-hitter is going on. When he managed in Texas, Charlie Hough once had a no-hitter and after a change the no-hitter ended.