With Pedro Martinez on the disabled list and Tom Glavine facing the prospect of season-ending surgery, Orlando Hernandez came into yesterday’s game on the heels of the worst outing of his career – and of Mets history. But six shutout innings by El Duque kept the Amazin’s on a roll, and their fans off the ledge.
Hernandez made solo shots from Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran stand up in a 2-0 win and sweep of the Rockies. One outing after coughing up a club- and personal-record 11 runs, he struck out eight – including three in a row to escape a two-on, nobody-out jam in the fifth – and help the Mets to their eight straight home win.
“Great job by El Duque, huh?” Willie Randolph crowed rhetorically. “Vintage El Duque. It reminded me of when he was on top of his game, and he was (yesterday). Bearing down with men on third and second, he’s a master at it. Anytime you lose somebody, it’s important to pick each other up. He was outstanding.”
Glavine is being examined for a possible blood clot, and could either be back by this weekend or miss the rest of the season. With Martinez already out, Hernandez’s six innings was worth far more in emotional capital.
“I just concentrate on my job,” said Hernandez (9-9), who has won five of his last six decisions. “I don’t have control over the situation with Pedro and Tom. Everybody crosses their fingers, waiting for the [tests] to come back quick and healthy. There’s a big difference from [my] last start. It was curveballs, fastballs, sliders and some good luck.”
He hardly needed it, spotting breaking balls and changing speeds. Hernandez – either 36 or 41, depending on whom you believe – also singled, reached on an error and swiped third for his first career steal.
“He’s not getting paid to steal, but he did a fantastic job going out there and giving us six innings,” said Delgado, who crushed a belt-high fastball 440 feet to center to lead off the second.
When a leadoff single by Brad Hawpe and a double by Yorvit Torrealba put runners on second and third with none out in the fifth, Hernandez reprised his bases-loaded, nobody-out escape in last year’s ALDS Game 3. Yesterday’s stakes were far lower, but it’s that kind of chutzpah the injury-riddled staff will need from him come October.
First, he got Clint Barmes fishing on a 76 mph slider, then caught Jason Jennings looking at a 74 mph curve. Finally, with 40,654 chanting “Duque! Duque!” he fanned Jamey Carroll on a full-count slider.
Beltran led off the sixth with a solo shot to right, and Chad Bradford, Aaron Heilman and Billy Wagner (31 saves) each threw a scoreless frame to keep the Mets’ NL East lead at 14 games over the Phillies