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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- Orlando Hernandez showed he meant business right
from the start.
Hernandez buzzed Kenny Lofton with his first pitch, then breezed
in throwing a four-hitter that led the New York Yankees over the
Cleveland Indians 6-3 Saturday.
|  | | Orlando Hernandez, who owns the Indians in the playoffs, beat Cleveland for the first time Saturday in the regular season. |
"He was so great," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "It looked
like he had everything working today, pitching inside."
The loss left Cleveland in a virtual tie for the AL wild-card lead with Oakland, which beat Tampa Bay 5-2. A day after their 11-1
romp, the Indians looked feeble against El Duque, who retired the
first 14 batters.
"It's great because I didn't have to throw many pitches,"
Hernandez said through an interpreter. "I'm trying to get in
optimum form."
Luis Sojo, part of Torre's patchwork lineup, drove in three runs
and Glenallen Hill and Jorge Posada hit solo home runs before a
sellout crowd of 55,097. New York cut its magic number for
clinching the AL East to nine over Boston.
The Yankees played without Paul O'Neill and Bernie Williams, out
with injuries, and Derek Jeter, who got the day off.
Sojo started at shortstop for Jeter and hit a two-run single
that capped a three-run second inning and added an RBI triple in
the fourth.
"I was kind of surprised I was playing shortstop. I'm glad I
came through," Sojo said.
By then, Hernandez (12-11) had all the support he needed.
Fresh off a clubhouse talk Friday with former Cuban ace Luis
Tiant, Hernandez threw high-and-tight to Lofton to begin the game.
Hernandez set down the first nine Indians batters on only 22
pitches. David Segui singled with two outs in the fifth for
Cleveland's first runner.
Russell Branyan hit his 16th home run leading off the Indians
sixth.
Omar Vizquel singled with one out in the ninth and Manny Ramirez
hit his 31st homer with two outs.
"He looked pretty good to us," Vizquel said of Hernandez. "He
made some adjustments in the way he pitched, maybe. We hadn't seen
him in a long time."
Hernandez had been 0-4 in regular-season games against the
Indians, though he beat them in a pivotal Game 4 of the 1998 AL Championship Series.
Hernandez walked none, struck out six and used just 98 pitches
in his third complete game. Coming off a shaky six-inning effort
against Boston last Monday, he was in complete control, especially
against the Indians' left-handed hitters.
"He was so economical," Torre said.
Hernandez hit Lofton in the hip in the sixth, and the Indians
leadoff man seemed to take exception, wind-milling his bat hard
into the ground.
Jason Bere (5-3) made his first start in 11 days and did not
last long. He gave up five runs on seven hits and three walks in 3
2/3 innings.
Hill hit his 14th homer with one out in the second. The Yankees
went on to load the bases with two outs, and Sojo singled.
A two-out walk in the fourth preceded Sojo's triple, and David
Justice followed with a double that chased Bere.
Posada hit his 26th homer in the fifth off Jim Brower.
Game notes
Yankees OF Clay Bellinger singled in the second, breaking
an 0-for-26 slump. ... It was the eighth home sellout of the season
for the Yankees. They need 5,071 more fans to reach the 3 million
mark. ... Branyan has 35 hits in 146 at-bats this year -- along with
his 16 homers, he has five doubles and a triple. ... Hernandez has
allowed 31 home runs, third-most in the AL. ... The Indians used
six pitchers. Cleveland has just started a 10-day, 12-game road
trip, and manager Charlie Manuel appeared to be spreading the work
load. ... The Yankees stranded 12 runners, including at least one
in every inning. ... Hill and Ramirez each homered for the second
straight day.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Cleveland Clubhouse
NY Yankees Clubhouse
Indians to play two -- teams -- on Sept. 25
RECAPS
Boston 8
Detroit 5
Detroit 12
Boston 2
(2nd game)
NY Yankees 6
Cleveland 3
Oakland 5
Tampa Bay 2
Seattle 14
Baltimore 0
Chi. White Sox 6
Toronto 3
Anaheim 7
Minnesota 6
Kansas City 8
Texas 5
Cincinnati 7
Milwaukee 3
St. Louis 7
Chicago Cubs 6
Atlanta 12
Arizona 10
NY Mets 10
Montreal 4
Florida 3
Philadelphia 2
Houston 10
Pittsburgh 9
San Francisco 4
San Diego 3
Los Angeles 5
Colorado 4
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