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Friday, Sep. 1 7:05pm ET
Three HRs enough for Hernandez | |||||
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- Orlando Hernandez began September with the pitching form he usually flashes in October. El Duque allowed five hits in eight innings and Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez and Bernie Williams backed him with home runs Friday night to lead the New York Yankees over the Minnesota Twins 4-2. "That's vintage stuff," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "He seems to have that confidence we've seen so often." After losing four straight starts, a slide interrupted by three weeks on the disabled list with aches in his right elbow and back, Hernandez has won three in a row, allowing no more than three runs and six hits. Hernandez (11-10) struck out six and walked none for the first time this season, throwing strikes on 72 of 98 pitches. "It would really add something for us if El Duque continues to pitch the way he has," Torre said. Brad Radke (10-14) gave up all four runs and 10 hits in six-plus innings, dropping to 2-8 against the Yankees in his career. "It felt like they scored about 30 runs," Radke said. "I just didn't feel sharp. It could have been the extra two days' rest." Hernandez gave up a run in the fifth on doubles by David Ortiz and Jacque Jones, and a homer in the seventh to Ortiz. "Since I returned from the disabled list, I feel good and I'm recuperating," said Hernandez, who doesn't reveal much to reporters. El Duque excels in the postseason, with a career mark of 5-0 and a 1.02 ERA. Just last month, with Hernandez and David Cone pitching ineffectively, New York was worried, but Cone has won three of his last four decisions after losing eight in a row, giving the Yankees renewed confidence, even though their bullpen has been unusually shaky. If Hernandez joins Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte as the top three postseason starters, the Yankees won't have to depend as much on Cone's fragile arm. "It gives you a sense of calm," Torre said. "It's going to be tough to line them up." Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his 31st save in 36 chances as the Yankees won the eighth time in 11 games and maintained their five-game lead over second-place Boston in the AL East. O'Neill hit an opposite-field homer to left in the first, two batters after Derek Jeter's leadoff single. "I put my head down figuring they'd catch it," said O'Neill, playing despite a sore hip. "I hit a lot of balls that way -- they get caught. That's the deepest part of the park." Martinez homered leading off the fourth, his first since Aug. 9 and just his fourth since the All-Star break. He has 12 overall. Williams homered leading off the fifth, then made a fine diving catch on Ron Coomer's drive to right-center leading off the seventh. It turned out to be important, because Ortiz followed with a homer, just the 103rd this year for the Twins, by far the major league low. Philadelphia began the night next-to-last with 128. "We had a couple of chances we didn't capitalize on," Twins manager Tom Kelly said. "Could he (Hernandez) pitch better? Yes. But the Yankees did a good job of hitting. They have a lot of veteran people over there. They take a lot of pitches. They are known for that, and they run the pitches up to 20 or 22 an inning, and that wears out your starter." El Duque, in contrast, went after hitters right from the start, when he struck out Denny Hocking on three pitches leading off the first. "I feel confident. I feel good," Hernandez said through a translator. "I hope to help the team achieve our goals." Game notesTennis star Monica Seles took batting practice before the game. ... The Yankees activated 2B Chuck Knoblauch and RHP Ramiro Mendoza from the 15-day DL, recalled RHP Craig Dingman from Triple-A Columbus and purchased the contract of OF Ryan Thompson from the Clippers. ... Minnesota recalled OF Brian Buchanan from Triple-A Salt Lake. ... Ortiz had three of the Twins' six hits. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Minnesota Clubhouse NY Yankees Clubhouse Yankees activate Knoblauch, Mendoza from DL
RECAPS Boston 6 Seattle 2
NY Yankees 4
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