ROUNDUP : A Striking Performance for Yankees’ Hernandez

How nasty was the stuff New York’s Orlando Hernandez was throwing Saturday against Seattle? Mariner shortstop Alex Rodriguez struck out three times against one pitcher for the first time this season.

“When you see a pitcher striking out hitters with fastballs down, that’s pretty impressive,” Yankee Manager Joe Torre said after Saturday’s 2-1 victory at New York.

Hernandez matched his career high with 13 strikeouts in eight innings, and Scott Brosius hit a game-winning single off the glove of second baseman David Bell with two outs in the ninth inning.

Rodriguez struck out in the second, fourth and sixth innings. He then grounded into a double play in the ninth against Mariano Rivera (3-3), who completed the four-hitter.

Hernandez baffled Rodriguez.

“I had trouble getting good swings on him,” Rodriguez said. “He used many, many arm angles. He was consistently ahead of our hitters and it was tough to pick [up] the ball.”

Hernandez, who gave up only three hits in eight innings, also fanned Russ Davis three times and got 12 strikeouts swinging.

Hernandez, chased after retiring only one batter at Seattle on Aug. 6, gave up his only run on Raul Ibanez’s third-inning homer, the first by a visiting player at Yankee Stadium in 64 innings. New York had gone ahead on Shane Spencer’s run-scoring single in the second off Jamie Moyer.

The Yankees, who have held Seattle to one run in the first 18 innings of the series, are 8-1 against the Mariners this year with seven consecutive victories.

After Tino Martinez was thrown out at second in the ninth, Jose Paniagua (6-10) walked Chili Davis, who checked his swing on a 3-2 pitch. Chad Curtis pinch-ran and swiped second on a delayed steal.

Jorge Posada flied out to Ken Griffey Jr. in medium center, and Curtis tagged up and went to third instead of going halfway.

Pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee was intentionally walked and Brosius followed with his hit.

Oakland 7, Chicago 5--Gil Heredia won his eighth consecutive decision and Miguel Tejada homered, tripled and doubled as the Athletics defeated the White Sox at Chicago to stay tied for the AL wild-card lead.

John Jaha hit his 31st home run as Oakland kept pace with Boston, which defeated the Angels, 7-6.

Tejada drove in three runs and made two sharp plays at shortstop as the A’s won their seventh in a row against the White Sox.

Carlos Lee hit a solo homer in the White Sox ninth. With two outs, Brook Fordyce hit a line drive that right fielder Jason McDonald seemed ready to catch, but the ball hit him in the head.

McDonald’s hat was knocked off and he fell to the ground for about a minute. He stayed in the game and, after that unusual single, Doug Jones relieved for his eighth save.

Detroit 4, Baltimore 3--Dave Mlicki won his career-high fifth consecutive start and the Tigers defeated nemesis Scott Erickson at Detroit.

Damion Easley homered as the Tigers sent Baltimore to its fourth consecutive loss.

Erickson (10-11), who has beaten the Tigers more than any other opponent he has faced, slipped to 16-4 against them.

Erickson did pitch his fourth complete game and 45th of his career. He gave up seven hits, struck out seven and walked four.

Mlicki has won nine of 14 decisions since a 1-6 start after the Tigers acquired him in an April 16 trade with the Dodgers. Todd Jones pitched the ninth for his 21st save.

Texas 9, Toronto 7--Juan Gonzalez hit a two-run homer off David Wells and Rafael Palmeiro drove in two more runs as the Rangers sent the Blue Jays to their eighth consecutive home loss.

Palmeiro now has 38 runs batted in in August, tying Gonzalez’s team record for RBI in a month. Rusty Greer had three hits and drove in three runs.

Aaron Sele (15-7) won for the eighth time in nine starts. He struck out eight in six innings.

The Blue Jays fell three games behind Boston and Oakland in the AL wild-card race. Texas has won 10 of 13.

Jeff Fassero, acquired Friday from Seattle, made his debut for the Rangers. He pitched a scoreless eighth, but was charged with three runs in the ninth.

Minnesota 4, Kansas City 3--Ron Coomer’s run-scoring single in the 10th inning scored Matt Lawton from first base, giving the Twins a victory over the Royals at Minnesota.

Lawton opened the 10th by drawing a walk from reliever Al Morman (2-2), who was then replaced by Derek Wallace. One out later, Coomer singled to center on a hit-and-run and Lawton easily beat center fielder Carlos Beltran’s throw to the plate.

Minnesota’s Marty Cordova homered, doubled, tripled and walked. He needed a single to become the first Twin to hit for the cycle since Kirby Puckett in 1986, but flied out in the bottom of the 10th.