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Notebook El Duque struggles, but again performs in the playoffs
Updated: Thursday November 01, 2001 5:05 AM
NEW YORK (AP) -- Orlando Hernandez wasn't the pitcher who dominated the Atlanta Braves in 1999, when he struck out 10 in seven innings. He wasn't even the same pitcher who shut down the Oakland Athletics in this year's first round. But on Wednesday night, Hernandez still did what the New York Yankees have come to expect from him in the playoffs: Give them a chance to win. The enigmatic right-hander labored through 6 1/3 innings, but when he left Game 4 with runners on first and second, the score was tied at 1. And more importantly, he matched Diamondbacks starter Curt Schilling -- not in his overpowering style (88 pitches, 63 strikes in seven innings) but in results. "(To face Schilling) definitely makes you work harder," Hernandez said. "I faced others -- Pedro Martinez and Greg Maddux. Schilling is right in that group." Hernandez struggled with his control -- and plate umpire Ed Rapuano's strike zone -- walking four and hitting two batters. He had to work out of jams in the first, third and fifth innings. Reliever Mike Stanton got Tony Womack to ground into a double play to end the sixth.
Hernandez's one mistake came after Reggie Sanders hit into a double play in the fourth: He allowed a home run to Mark Grace. "It really bothered me when I made the mistake to Grace," said Hernandez, who gave up 19 home runs in just 94 2/3 innings this season. "I got a double play, then I relaxed." Hernandez, 9-2 with a 2.56 ERA in 12 postseason starts entering Game 4, got the win in Game 4 of the first round against Oakland when the Yankees were trailing two games to one. Then he lost Game 3 of the ALCS. He had elbow trouble in spring training, and started out the season 0-5 before revealing he had a toe injury. After his return in August from surgery on his left toe, he went 4-2, but had to leave his Sept. 29 start with elbow trouble. "It's affected me a lot to be in and out with injuries, but to do well when you struggle is satisfying." Lineup changeChuck Knoblauch came to the ballpark Wednesday expecting to be at the top of the Yankees' lineup, where he's been throughout the playoffs.But he was 0-for-12 in the first three games of the World Series, including four hitless at-bats against Curt Schilling in Game 1, so manager Joe Torre made a change. "I'm not happy with it. I obviously prefer to be playing," Knoblauch said before Game 4. "I'm sure Joe knows that when I'm not playing, I'm not happy. But I can't do anything about it. He's the manager." Torre repeatedly has called Knoblauch the key to the Yankees' lineup throughout the playoffs, but New York scored just three runs through Game 3. And the Nos. 1, 2 and 3 hitters struggled in the first three games, going a combined 3-for-33. "I was just trying to figure out what to do, to do anything different," Torre said. "I'm just fiddling with it to see if we can stimulate some kind of offense here." Torre used Shane Spencer in left field for Game 3 -Knoblauch was the designated hitter - and Game 4, and the switch has paid off. Spencer made a diving catch that saved two runs in Game 3, and in Game 4, he threw out Tony Womack, who was trying to score on Luis Gonzalez's flyout in the fifth inning. Spencer also hit his first career World Series homer in the third inning. On Wednesday, Torre replaced Knoblauch at the designated hitter spot with David Justice, the career playoff RBIs leader. Justice, who entered the game 0-for-5 with five strikeouts, set a World Series record when he struck out in his first at-bat. He struck out again in the fifth and the eighth with a runner on third to extend his consecutive strikeouts record in one series to eighth. In the ninth, Justice was credited with an infield single when second baseman Craig Counsell slipped fielding his grounder with two outs and a runner on first. Derek Jeter, batting leadoff, got his second hit of the World Series (2-for-16), a walkoff homer in the 10th inning to give the Yankees a 4-3 win. Aaron awardBarry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez received the 2001 Hank Aaron Award, given to the best overall hitter in the NL and AL.Bonds, whose 73 home runs broke Mark McGwire's single-season home run record, finished with 183 points to lead all players. The San Francisco outfielder also established single-season records with 177 walks and an .863 slugging percentage and led the NL in on-base percentage (.515) and extra-base hits (107). Rodriguez became the first shortstop in major league history to hit more than 50 home runs in a season (52), his first with the Texas Rangers. He hit .318 and drove in 135 runs, third in the league. The Hank Aaron Award was introduced in 1999 to honor the 25th anniversary of Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's career home run record.
Halloween happeningThe stroke of midnight Wednesday marked the expiration of Joe Torre's contract.He is expected to sign a three-year extension, but he doesn't think anything will happen until after the World Series. "I don't think it's going to be any big deal," Torre said. "I think the fact that it won't be resolved is because there are more important things right now at hand." Torre is in his sixth year with the Yankees -- the longest stint of any manager during George Steinbrenner's 29 years as owner. He signed his last extension during the 1998 playoffs. Torre's 582 wins are the fifth most in club history, and his four World Series titles trail only the seven won by Casey Stengel and Joe McCarthy.
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