MIAMI, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Livan Hernandez, the Florida Marlins' rookie sensation from Cuba says he was excited, though he didn't look it. He admitted he was angry. But he says he wasn't nervous.
"It's a very exciting experience,'' the righthander said after becoming the youngest pitcher to win a World Series opener at the age of 22 years, 7 months, 28 days in the Marlins' 7-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians Saturday.
But he was below the form that saw him throw a League Championship Series 15 strikeouts against the Atlanta Braves. He yielded three earned runs on eight hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
"Today I wasn't any more nervous than any other games,'' he said. "I felt fine. The only problem was I only had my fast ball working and my breaking ball was just not there tonight, I had bad pitches.''
Manager Jim Leyland pulled him in the sixth inning after he yielded a home run to Jim Thome and then gave up back-to-back singles to Sandy Alomar and Marquis Grissom before striking out pinch-hitter Jeff Branson.
Hernandez, who rarely shows emotion, threw his helmet and glove on his way into the locker room, then kicked over a table.
"Yeah, I did get a little angry today because we're coming down to the end of the season,'' said Hernandez.
"I got behind on a few batters and I showed emotion.''
But he made it clear he was not trying to embarrass Leyland for taking him out. "I didn't get angry with that at all, I was angry with myself,'' he said.
"I have no problem with that as long as it's for the right reason and I'm sure it was,'' said Leyland. "But I have to do what I have to as a manager to give us the best chance to win.''
Leyland said they had not conversed much on the mound since it was usually his policy not to talk a lot to a pitcher he was taking out of a game. "He might still be mad but you're not going to have much of a conversation,'' said Leyland.''
Hernandez was asked if missed the wide strike zone umpire Eric Gregg had given him in his 15-strikeout game. "Bueno, no,'' he said, then broke into a rare laugh as reporters guffawed in disbelief.
"Today I had just bad pitches. I wasn't throwing them as well and I wasn't hitting the strike zone. I thought the home plate umpire (Ed Montague) did a good job of calling the pitches tonight.''
Hernandez, who ran away from the Cuban national team two years ago while touring in Mexico, is always asked if his family back in U.S.-embargoed Cuba had heard about his latest exploits.
"They've already heard about it,'' he said. "They've already heard the news. I don't know if they were watching it.''
Hernandez said he had never dreamed of the World Series when he was young. "When I was a child I didn't even think of this, because it's something that hadn't even passed through my mind. But this is a tremendous dream, pitching in the World Series.
It's the maximum.''
01:46 10-19-97