He says he doesn't think about it often, even now. Just when other people bring it up.

Most of his Chattanooga teammates don't know about it. The team's clubhouse attendant didn't even know that on one night two years ago, Brett Gray put together one of the most dominating pitching performances in baseball history.

It was on June 3, 2000 that Gray, pitching for London in the independent Frontier League, struck out a modern-day record 25 batters in a nine-inning game.

The next day, Gray, who turns 26 this August, was signed -- site unseen -- by the Cincinnati Reds. Gray has been in Cincinnati's system for the past two seasons.

Last year, he ranked second in the high Class A California League with a 2.42 ERA. Pitching mostly out of the bullpen this year, Gray is 2-2 with a 3.18 ERA for Chattanooga.

But, it is likely that whatever level of success Gray has in his career, everything will pale in comparison to that one memorable evening in London, Ontario.

An honorable mention NAIA All-American after his senior season at Oklahoma City University, Gray was passed over in the draft and by all 30 teams as a free agent in 1998. So, he journeyed to Kalamazoo in the Frontier League and suffered through a season in which his team went 24-54.

Gray stayed in the Frontier League and moved to London -- just 45 minutes from where he was raised -- for the 1999 season. Behind Gray, London captured the league title that season. Gray pitched a pair of complete games in the playoffs and was on the mound for the final out of the title game.

Despite setting a league strikeout mark that season, Gray was once again ignored by the scouts.

"When you're playing independent ball, wins are the only thing that really matters," Gray recalled. "I guess I hoped that scouts would see that I could chew innings, I could throw the ball -- not with great velocity -- but that I could get people out. I had a few tryout camps, but nothing worked out."

Scheduled to marry his then-fiancée Keely that September, Gray had concluded that the 2000 season would be his final in a baseball uniform.

In spring training, Gray's elbow hurt so much that he threw only once. After all, the same coaching staff was back in place for London that season, so they certainly knew what Gray could do.

There were roughly 4,000 people in the stands that night in June. The matchup was a good one: defending league champion London, in its home opener, against Chillicothe, whom the Werewolves had beaten for the league title the previous summer.

"My plan was to try and get through five (innings) and then turn it over to the (bull)pen," said Gray. "I told my wife prior to the game that I would ask my Dad, Bruce, who was the pitching coach, to be my best man. No matter if I got pulled in the first inning, the eighth, or whatever ...

"By the fifth inning, I'm exhausted, but I have 15 strikeouts, so I keep going back out," Gray continued. "Then, it's 18, then it's 21. My Dad is sitting there in awe. My Dad is very controlled ... He kept looking at me and shaking his head, saying, 'You don't know what you're doing, do you?' I was like, 'No, I don't.' "

Because of Gray's strikeout mark the year before, there had been a section reserved for recording his strikeouts with the customary "K" cards. By the time the late innings had rolled around, the crowd had run out of the cards and had resorted to using Kleenexes with the letter "K" scrawled on them.

Gray had 24 strikeouts through eight innings. He struck out the first batter in the ninth, and the second popped out. Gray then called his Dad out and asked him to be the best man in his wedding.

"That was actually a better story," Gray said.

The next batter popped up on Gray's next pitch. Game over.

"I have never been so happy to have a game over. I was so mentally drained."

Gray recalled the experience fondly. He was interviewed on national radio shows and by smaller stations all over the country. A friend said that he saw Gray on SportsCenter, but Gray says he never saw it.

"I don't even know how to describe it," he recalled of the memorable evening. "It was just a perfect night. Most people took the part about my Dad and I as the bigger part of it, and that made me happier than anything."

American League
Baltimore Orioles Double-A left-hander Erik Bedard looks to be back in form. On Monday night, Bedard spun seven scoreless innings to win his third straight start in the Baysox's 2-1 victory over New Haven. Bedard scattered four hits, two walks and struck out four in the win, improving to 5-2 and lowering his league-best ERA to 1.80. Bedard, who made two relief appearances with the big club in April, has 50 strikeouts in as many innings this season. He has thrown 17 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings and has allowed two runs or less in nine of his 10 starts this year. Bedard, who is averaging 4.5 walks per nine innings, must refine his control to get back to Baltimore.

The Kansas City Royals got a big boost when Triple-A shortstop Angel Berroa returned to Omaha's lineup over the weekend. Berroa, one of the rising shortstop prospects in the game, had missed two months following knee surgery. The key (from the Royals' perspective) in the deal that sent Johnny Damon to Oakland prior to the 2001 season, Berroa hit .304 with 14 homers, 67 RBI and 106 runs scored in 131 games split between two levels last year. Over the offseason, Berroa had his birth date changed from January 27, 1980 to January 27, 1978. He would have been the Pacific Coast Leagues youngest players this season had his birth date remained the same.

This season has been nothing short of a complete disaster for Toronto Blue Jays Double-A outfielder Gabe Gross, Toronto's top pick in the 2001 draft out of Auburn University. Gross, now 22, started the season 1-for-21 and has never recovered. He has yet to reach the .200 mark this season. One source with Gross's Tennessee club says that it is unlikely that the Blue Jays would send Gross back to Class A ball, despite his struggles. The organization believes that sending Gross down may do more harm than good.

National League
Atlanta Braves Triple-A shortstop Wilson Betemit sustained a sprained ankle over the weekend, did not travel with the Richmond club on its current road trip and was placed on the disabled list on Monday. It has been a tough season for the 20-year-old Betemit, who is hitting just .198 with four homers and 17 RBI in his first season at the Triple-A level. Betemit began the season as the International League's second-youngest player.

The San Diego Padres promoted right-hander J.J. Trujillo and lefty Oliver Perez from Double-A Mobile on Tuesday. On Monday, Trujillo extended his streak of consecutive relief innings without yielding a run to 25 2/3. Trujillo struck out the side in the ninth to collect his Southern League-leading 20th save. The 26-year-old former Independent leaguer, who had converted his last 12 save opportunities, had compiled a 1.58 ERA over three years in San Diego's system. Perez, who is just 20 and started the year in Class A ball, was the league's Pitcher of the week last week after he allowed just three hits in 12 innings over two starts, striking out 21.