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 Turned tables Needy Yankees pit rookie against Gooden in Game 4
Posted: Saturday October 10, 1998 02:15 PM
CLEVELAND (CNN/SI) -- After 168 games this season -- 118 of them wins -- the Yankees feel something mighty unfamiliar pressing against their backs: the wall. After winning Game 1 of the American League championship series, New York got no help from a stationary Chuck Knoblauch in Game 2 and watched helplessly in Game 3 as the Indians battered Andy Pettitte. So after finishing the regular season with an AL record 114 wins -- 25 more than Cleveland's total -- the Yankees play their first critical game of the year Saturday night when they meet the Indians at Jacobs Field for Game 4 of their ALCS. The Indians have reminded New York that the postseason is a new season by taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series after Friday's 6-1 victory in which Pettitte gave up four homers for the first time in his career. "We knew coming in we were underdogs, but we were underdogs last year," said Indians manager Mike Hargrove. "I've said it a thousand times. The postseason is a brand new deal." New York, which led the league with 965 runs scored during the season, suddenly can't hit. The Yankees have managed just four runs over the last 29 innings and realize the grave importance of Saturday night's Game 4. "Tomorrow is a bigger game for us than it is for them," said Yankees right fielder Paul O'Neill after Friday's defeat. "We are in a dangerous situation." The game is dangerous for the Yankees for two reasons. Besides their suddenly silent bats, the Yanks will send a rookie who hasn't pitched in two weeks to the mound. Orlando Hernandez starts for New York. The Cuban right-hander enjoyed a stellar first season, going 12-4 with a 3.13 ERA. He pitched well down the stretch, winning his last four decisions, but could be rusty after not pitching since September 25.
"El Duque" started against the Indians twice this season, going 0-1 with a 3.77 ERA. He allowed two runs over 7 2/3 innings on June 18, then was tagged for four runs and nine hits over 6 2/3 innings in a loss on July 13. Opposing the Yankees will be former teammate Dwight Gooden, who needs to retire two batters for his longest outing of this postseason. The veteran right-hander started against Boston in Game 2 of the AL division series and was ejected for arguing after recording just one out and allowing two runs. A veteran of 14 major league seasons, Gooden does share something in common with his rookie counterpart -- neither has won a postseason game. Pitching for New York against Cleveland in last year's AL division series, Gooden stood to get a win before closer Mariano Rivera blew the save in the Indians' Game 4 win. Gooden remained 0-3 lifetime in the postseason. And he has never pitched against the Yankees. Cleveland brings a pair of hot hitters into Saturday night's game. Jim Thome hit a pair of homers Friday to give him four in this postseason and 10 in his career. Manny Ramirez also homered Friday and is fourth all-time with 13 postseason homers, including four this year. "[Thome] is scary all the time and Manny Ramirez is real hot right now," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "They have an awesome lineup and it's up to our starters to shut them down."Conversely, New York's bat rack is arctic. First baseman Tino Martinez went 0-for-4 Friday and is now 7-for-57 (.123) without an RBI in his last 14 career ALCS games. He is hitless in his last 18 ALCS at-bats. In the three games this series: Shane Spencer is 1-for-10, Knoblauch is 3-for-14, Paul O'Neill is 3-for-13 and the club is hitting a collective .210. But much of New York's difficulty at the plate is a result of Cleveland's pitching, which has been splendid since Jaret Wright's first inning of Game 1. The Indians have allowed just 22 hits in 29 innings since. Game 4 is scheduled to start at 7:07 p.m. EDT.
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