Sports

EL DUQUE TAKES THE MOUND

YANKEE NOTES

If Orlando Hernandez doesn’t suffer any setbacks, it’s likely the playoff-tested right-hander could join the Yankees’ rotation on Aug. 17.

Hernandez started for Tampa (Single-A) last night against Fort Myers at Legends Field in his first rehab outing as he tries to come back from toe surgery. He threw 48 pitches over three innings, giving up one run on three hits while striking out four.

Since El Duque isn’t coming back from an arm injury, he isn’t expected to need as long as a pitcher who has been out since late May with arm trouble.

“He doesn’t really have to work his arm back into shape,” said Mark Newman, the Yankees’ VP of personnel who has watched El Duque work out in Tampa.

El Duque will make two more rehab starts before rejoining the Yankees. When he returns, Ted Lilly will likely be shifted to the bullpen.

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Since the Yankees scored nine runs in his first start when he gave up five in five innings, Sterling Hitchcock wasn’t about to gripe about getting beat, 3-1, yesterday.

“It’s a team game and you have to execute in all phases of the game,” said Hitchcock, who allowed eight hits and three runs in 62/3 innings and was the loser in yesterday’s 3-1 defeat to the Angels. “The other night we executed with the bats and with the defense.”

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Joe Torre asked that Mark Wohlers not be completely judged until Torre put him in a pressure spot. Yesterday, Torre found that situation, as he dropped Wohlers into the seventh inning of a game the Yankees were trailing, 3-1, and the Angels had a runner on first with two outs.

Wohlers, who has struggled since being acquired from the Reds, got the dangerous Troy Glaus to ground out. Wohlers then retired six of the final seven batters he faced in what was easily his best outing in pinstripes.

“He was terrific,” Torre said. “I was real pleased. He was very aggressive.”

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Derek Jeter copped his first AL Player of the Week award for batting .524 (11-for-21) in six games last week with two homers and five RBIs.