Yankees’ Hernandez Lends a Helping Hand

Orlando Hernandez had his version of a hidden-ball trick at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.

With a runner at third in the second inning of the New York Yankees’ 6-3 victory over the Mets, fellow Cuba defector Rey Ordonez hit a comebacker to the third-base side of the pitcher’s mound.

“El Duque” gloved the one-hopper, but the ball got struck between the index and middle fingers of his glove.

“The first thing in my mind was throw the glove and the ball,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez looked Robin Ventura back to third base, then took a step toward first and threw his glove--with the ball in it--to Tino Martinez, a toss of about 50 feet.

Martinez easily gloved it--the glove and the ball--for the second out of the inning.

“I’m glad it all stayed together. I had to catch it with both hands,” Martinez said. “It was pretty weird. He didn’t try to run it halfway.”

It was similar to a play the Mets were involved in on Sept. 3, 1986. Keith Hernandez hit a comebacker to San Francisco Giant rookie pitcher Terry Mulholland. When the ball got stuck in Mulholland’s glove, the pitcher ran toward first and made an underhand toss of the glove and ball to first baseman Bob Brenly, getting the out.

In Saturday’s game, Martinez hit a go-ahead home run in the fourth inning as the Yankees rallied from a three-run deficit to extend the Mets’ losing streak to eight.

The Yankees had 11 hits, including six doubles--two by Chuck Knoblauch. The Mets again were hurt because of poor defense, with left fielder Rickey Henderson and shortstop Rey Ordonez losing fly balls that fell for hits.

Hernandez (6-5) won for the third time in four starts.