BLOWIN' SMOKE; HERNANDEZ DOMINATES AS YANKEES RALLY : NEW YORK 4, ATLANTA 1.

Byline: Bob Ford Philadelphia Inquirer 

It started out like the first strokes of a masterpiece that would be hung on history's wall and revisited fondly for decades to come.

It didn't end that way.

A great pitching battle between Greg Maddux of Atlanta and Orlando Hernandez of New York went awry in the late innings of Game 1 of the World Series Saturday night. At least it went awry for the Braves.

The Yankees, with timely hits and help from a pair of errors, came from a run down to capture a 4-1 victory that removed the home-field advantage from the Braves.

Atlanta's offense never showed up, as Hernandez and the New York bullpen gave up just two hits all night.

``It was one of those games that lives up to what you expect, and I'm just glad we were able to get through in the eighth,'' Yankees manager Joe Torre said.

Down by 1-0 on the strength of a Chipper Jones solo home run in the fourth, the Yankees finally got to Maddux in the eighth.

He allowed a leadoff single to left by Scott Brosius, then faced pinch-hitter Darryl Strawberry as Torre pulled Hernandez from the game. Hernandez had struck out 10 and allowed just the one hit to Jones in his seven innings of dominating work.

Strawberry walked and was followed by Chuck Knoblauch, who pushed a bunt to the right side while attempting to advance the runners. He did more than that. The bunt neatly split Maddux and the onrushing first baseman, Brian Jordan - who had just entered as a defensive replacement. Jordan grabbed the ball but dropped it as he whirled to throw to first.

With the bases loaded, Maddux gave up a run-scoring single to left by Derek Jeter and was removed in favor of left-hander John Rocker. The big reliever didn't get the job done this time. He gave up a two-run single to right by Paul O'Neill to make it a 3-1 game.

Jeter took third on the single, and as Jordan attempted to cut him down there, his throw skipped away from Jones and O'Neill was able to take an extra base. The Braves then walked Bernie Williams to load the bases, and, after fanning two batters, Rocker missed on a full-count pitch to Jim Leyritz to force in the fourth run.

It was not pretty baseball after seven innings of absolute pitching mastery. And it was more amazing, from the Braves' perspective, because Maddux wasn't even supposed to pitch. Tom Glavine, the scheduled starter for Game 1, was unable even to get to the park because of a severe flu.

``Maddux was still throwing good,'' Cox said when asked why the starter had been left in to face Jeter. ``And he wasn't getting a lot of help, that's for sure.''

Brosius had three of the five hits given up by Maddux, but all were mere ground balls that found their way into the outfield. Jeter's single that made it 1-1 was probably the only solid hit given up by Maddux.

Still, the way Hernandez was throwing, it would have taken a shutout to beat him.

``I can't say this was the best game I've thrown, but it made me happy and it made my teammates happy and it was the difference today,'' Hernandez said. ``I think all my pitches were working well, but it was my control that was best for me.''

Hernandez didn't show any weakness after giving up the towering home run to right by Jones with one out in the fourth. He retired eight straight after the homer.

``I knew if we kept it close, we'd win it,'' Hernandez said. ``With all respect to the great pitcher that Greg Maddux is, I didn't think one run would win the game.''

The win was the ninth straight in World Series competition for the Yankees, who came from two games down to beat the Braves in six in 1996 and swept the San Diego Padres last year.

``This isn't an unusual game for us. We're used to playing close games. Get a few breaks and you can win those games,'' said O'Neill. ``This was a game of pitching, and ours was a little better tonight.''

Not much, but just enough. And just barely enough despite a late change in the rotation for the Braves. Cox didn't find out until 11 p.m. Friday night that Glavine would be too sick to pitch in either of the first two games of the Series. He went with Maddux last night, and will come back with Kevin Millwood tonight against David Cone of the Yankees.

The game was one of those that turns on a very few pitches, some of which the Braves thought were missed by home plate umpire Randy Marsh. But those are the breaks that teams getting only two hits have to live with. Atlanta has to live with that only until tonight.

Atlanta Braves vs. New York Yankees 

Best-of-seven series

Yankees lead series 1-0

Gm 1: New York 4, Atlanta 1

Gm 2: Today at Atlanta, 5:05 p.m.

N.Y. - Cone (12-9) vs. ATL. - Millwood (18-7)

Gm 3: Tuesday at New York, 5:20 p.m.

ATL. - Glavine (14-11) vs. N.Y. - Pettitte (14-11)

Gm 4: Wednesday at New York, 5:20 p.m.

ATL. - Smoltz (11-8) vs. N.Y. - Clemens (14-10)

Gm 5 x: Thursday at New York, 5:20 p.m.

Gm 6 x: Saturday at Atlanta, 5:05 p.m.

Gm 7 x: Sunday at Atlanta, 5:05 p.m.

All games on Ch. 4 x-if necessary

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, box

PHOTO (1 -- color) Yankees starter Orlando Hernandez, blowing on his hand to stay warm, struck out 10 and allowed only one hit in seven innings for the Yankees.

John Bazemore/Associated Press

(2) The Braves' Andruw Jones is safe getting back to first on pickoff attempt as Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez is late with the tag in the second.

Dave Martin/Associated Press

Box: Atlanta Braves vs. New York Yankees (see text)