Special K Day for Marlins

By JASON REID TIMES STAFF WRITER

Oct. 13, 1997 12 AM PT

MIAMI —

Livan Hernandez wasn’t supposed to be here, making this almost too good to believe for the Florida Marlins.

Hernandez wasn’t supposed to be in this state or in this country, and he definitely wasn’t supposed to start Game 5 of the National League championship series Sunday against the team of the decade. But sometimes the best-laid plans don’t work out, and sometimes even rookies have fate on their side.

The rookie right-hander tied the league championship series record with 15 strikeouts in a 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves, outdueling a four-time Cy Young Award winner and adding another memory to the Marlins’ inspiring postseason run. The 22-year-old Cuban defector helped the Marlins take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

His timing couldn’t have been better, providing an emotional boost for his teammates and a Pro Player Stadium crowd of 51,982 as the series shifts to Atlanta for Game 6 on Tuesday.

The fifth-year Marlins are one victory from the World Series, and guess whom they credit for getting them to the door.

“I’d like to say I knew he was going to do that, but I don’t think anyone in this stadium knew he would do that,” Marlin Manager Jim Leyland said. “It was a fantastic, gutsy performance. Just outstanding. Outstanding.”

An emergency starter, Hernandez pitched the first complete game of his career, giving up three hits and walking two. He tied the strikeout record set by Mike Mussina of the Baltimore Orioles in Game 3 of the American League championship series Saturday at Cleveland.

Hernandez and Mussina share the second-highest strikeout total in postseason history with Dodger hall-of-famer Sandy Koufax. Bob Gibson of the Cardinals holds the postseason record with 17 strikeouts.

Bobby Bonilla and Jeff Conine provided the offense for Hernandez.

Bonilla broke out of a one-for-15 slump in the championship series with three hits in three at-bats. He drove in the first Marlin run and, after doubling to right in the seventh inning, scored the go-ahead run on Conine’s single to center.

On this day, Hernandez knew that would be enough.

“I was able to keep the ball low and I had good control of my breaking ball,” Hernandez said through an interpreter. “I was very emotional. It was a very big game for the Marlins.”

Hernandez (2-0) started because Kevin Brown couldn’t. The Marlin ace, Brown had not recovered from a stomach virus that also prevented him from starting Game 4 Saturday.

Atlanta 20-game winner Denny Neagle shut down Florida in the Braves’ 4-0 victory in Game 4. Leyland told Hernandez late Saturday night that he would start Sunday. Greg Maddux started for the Braves, so the Marlins knew what they were facing.

“Under the circumstances and not knowing he was going to pitch today, that was a hell of a job,” Bonilla said. “We have to tip our hats to him. That was a big, big job.”

True enough. Hernandez, though, wasn’t some wide-eyed kid in search of his first victory.

A member of the Cuban national team, Hernandez defected in Mexico while training for a tournament in 1995. The Marlins signed him to a free-agent contract in 1996.

Hernandez was 9-3 with a 3.18 earned-run average in 17 starts during the regular season. And he became the second NL pitcher to begin a career with nine consecutive victories.

But Leyland picked left-handed rookie Tony Saunders for the postseason rotation, bumping Hernandez to the bullpen. Although unhappy with the decision, Hernandez did what was asked of him.

He gave up one run in four innings in Game 2 of the division series against San Francisco. Leyland credited Hernandez’s performance as a key to the Marlins’ 7-6 victory. Hernandez won Game 3 of the championship series, pitching 1 2/3 scoreless innings in a 5-2 victory.

And then came Sunday. Maddux’s record in the championship series dropped to 0-2, though he has pitched well in both games. Maddux pitched seven innings Sunday, giving up two runs and four hits. He set a personal mark with nine strikeouts and walked only one.

With 25 strikeouts, the Marlins and Braves combined to set a championship series record for both leagues. But this was Hernandez’s day.

How dominant was he? He struck out at least two batters in each of the first, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

The Braves scored their only run on a solo homer by Michael Tucker in the second inning. Fred McGriff led off the fourth with a single to center and that was the end of the Braves’ hitting for the day.

“The kid had one heck of a day with his control,” Atlanta Manager Bobby Cox said. “The kid did not make any mistakes. He was great.”

Hernandez provided a preview in the first inning after a shaky start.

Kenny Lofton tripled down the right-field line to open the game and Keith Lockhart walked. Chipper Jones came to the plate with two on and none out, and he would be followed by McGriff and Ryan Klesko.

For a rookie pitcher in such a pivotal game, that qualified as a worst-case scenario. But Hernandez struck out the Braves’ Nos. 3, 4 and 5 hitters to get out of the inning and set the tone.

“He was able to get out of that jam in a big way,” Bonilla said. “That was really huge.”

And Hernandez was just getting started.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Atlanta vs. Florida

(Marlins lead series, 3-2)

* Game 1: Florida 5, Atlanta 3

* Game 2: Atlanta 7, Florida 1

* Game 3: Florida 5, Atlanta 2

* Game 4: Atlanta 4, Florida 0

* Game 5: Florida 2, Atlanta 1

* Game 6: Tues. at Atlanta, 5 p.m.