By Gary Hill
MIAMI, Oct 27 (Reuters) - The Florida Marlins' 22-year-old Cuban pitcher Livan Hernandez was named the Most Valuable Player of the World Series Sunday and paid an emotional tribute to his new home in the United States.
"I love you, Miami,'' the rookie righthander, who was also MVP of the National League Championship Series, shouted to the delirious fans at Pro Player Stadium while holding up his triangular trophy above his head.
"I'm very happy. This trophy is yours.''
Speaking through an interpreter, Hernandez, who ran away from the Cuban national team in Mexico two years ago, added that "for all those that follow me, I love them and I support them.''
It was not clear whether he simply meant his fans or also was speaking to Cubans considering leaving Fidel Castro's island nation.
Hernandez won Games 1 and 5 for the Marlins, outpitching Cleveland's 39-year-old veteran Orel Hershiser in both games.
A non-baseball subplot of this seven-game World Series in politically charged Miami was the efforts, finally successful, to get his mother from Cuba and into the United States to see a game.
"I am very happy to be here with my son and to see this last game. I want to give thanks to the Lord for making this possible,'' Miriam Carreras said in a statement issued by baseball officials in Game 7 of the Series, in which the Marlins beat the Cleveland Indians 3-2 in 11 innings.
Hernandez became 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 on October 18.
01:18 10-27-97