"That didn't last long.

One day removed from a three-hit game in which he blasted a home run and a triple, Jason Bay was moved back into the cleanup spot -- but his brief success didn't continue.

"I expected to play and if I was batting ninth, I [couldn't] care less," said Bay, who said he wasn't aware he was hitting in the cleanup spot last night until reporters told him shortly before batting practice.

"It doesn't change anything."

It didn't do him much good, as Bay reverted to the form that has been all too familiar this season, going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts in last night's 3-2 win over the A's at Citi Field.

Bay grounded out to short with the potential winning run on second in the 10th.

Manager Terry Collins had sounded hesitant about moving him back up in the lineup, but the combination of the rest of the lineup not producing, as well as a lefty on the mound last night, forced his hand."