First Look

PADRES AT A GLANCE: They showed their resiliency by recovering from a gut-wrenching loss to Atlanta in Game 5 of the National League championship series and whipping the Braves, 5-0, in Game 6 on Wednesday in Atlanta to clinch their first World Series berth since 1984. By avoiding a Game 7 against the Braves, the Padres will be able to start ace Kevin Brown three times if the World Series goes seven games, in Games 1, 4 and 7 on three days’ rest. Brown, who used his nasty sinker to limit the Houston Astros and Braves to four earned runs in 25 innings (1.44 ERA) and strike out 33, has a 12-3 record and 2.43 ERA against the Yankees, but it should be noted that most of those numbers were accumulated from 1989 through ‘95, before most of the current Yankees were wearing pinstripes. As dominating as Brown has been, fellow starter Sterling Hitchcock, a left-hander who is 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA and 25 strikeouts in the playoffs, was named NLCS most valuable player. Andy Ashby rounds out an excellent rotation, and Trevor Hoffman (major league-leading 53 saves) anchors the bullpen. Catcher Jim Leyritz (four homers, nine RBIs during the playoffs) is one of four former Yankees (Ruben Rivera, Brian Boehringer and Hitchcock) on the Padres.

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* YANKEES AT A GLANCE: They have baseball’s most potent lineup, from top to bottom, and they’re an excellent defensive team, but pitching has carried them in the postseason. Game 1 starter David Wells is 3-0 with a 1.90 ERA, 27 strikeouts and three walks in three playoff starts, Cuban refugee Orlando Hernandez pitched seven shutout innings in a 4-0 win over Cleveland in Game 4 of the ALCS, and David Cone pitched extremely well in two of his three playoff starts. The only question is left-hander Andy Pettitte, who was ripped for six runs and eight hits, including four home runs, in 4 2/3 innings of his last start, a 6-1 loss to the Indians in Game 3. As good as the rotation has been, the bullpen has been even better, combining to give up only three earned runs in 22 innings for a 1.23 ERA. Closer Mariano Rivera has been almost perfect, giving up one hit in nine scoreless innings, and left-hander Mike Stanton, who was being booed in August, has given up no runs and two hits in 3 2/3 innings.

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* KEY TO THE SERIES: The Yankees have won more games in one season (121) than any team in baseball history and are favored to win their second World Series title in three years, but Brown can be the Padres’ great equalizer if he can overpower New York in his three starts, and the Yankees have reason to fear Hitchcock--they’ve always had trouble against left-handers with a good split-finger pitch, such as the Angels’ Chuck Finley. For the Padres to beat the Yankees, they’ll need to hit better than their current .240 playoff mark, and they’ll need stronger relief from the left side than Randy Myers (13.50 playoff ERA) has provided. Their bullpen was overworked in the division series against Houston and the first few games against the Braves, but two days off should do wonders for right-handers Dan Miceli and Donne Wall, who have been bridging the gap to Hoffman.