MARLINS-INDIANS MATCHUP

SERIES AT A GLANCE

* Today--Cleveland (Hershiser, 14-6) at Florida (Hernandez, 11-3), 5 p.m.

* Sunday--Cleveland (Wright, 10-3) at Florida (Brown, 18-8), 4:30 p.m.

* Tuesday--Florida at Cleveland, 5 p.m.

* Wednesday--Florida at Cleveland, 5 p.m.

* Thursday--Florida at Cleveland, 5 p.m.*

* Oct. 25--Cleveland at Florida, 5 p.m.*

* Oct. 26--Cleveland at Florida, 4:30 p.m.*

*--If necessary; All games on Channel 4

RECORDS

Cleveland 86-75, Florida 92-70.

INDIANS AT GLANCE

STARTING LINEUP

(Regular-Season Averages)

*--*

Pos. Player Avg. 2B Bip Roberts .302 SS Omar Vizquel .280 RF Manny Ramirez .328 1B Jim Thome .286 LF David Justice .329 3B Matt Williams .263 C Sandy Alomar Jr. .324 CF Marquis Grissom .262 P Orel Hershiser .000

*--*

* ANALYSIS: The Indians found a way to beat the Baltimore Orioles in the American League championship series, despite hitting .193 with 62 strikeouts in six games. The top two batters, Roberts and Vizquel, hit .089--four for 45--against the Orioles, and slugger Thome has had been dismal in postseason play, batting .138 with one RBI in the division and championship series. Justice, whose teams have been in five of the last six World Series, will start in left field in the National League city, where the designated hitter won’t be used, but having the pitcher bat might not be such a liability for the Indians tonight--Hershiser hit .356 in 1988 for the Dodgers. Clutch hitting played a major role in Cleveland’s reaching the World Series, but so did the Indian bullpen, which went 4-0 with a 2.05 ERA in 22 innings against the Orioles and got key contributions from Jose Mesa, Mike Jackson, Paul Assenmacher and Brian Anderson.

* KEY RESERVES: The switch-hitting Tony Fernandez (.286) usually starts at second base against left-handers, but after hitting the pennant-clinching home run off Oriole right-hander Armando Benitez on Wednesday, he may get more playing time. Brian Giles (.268), normally the starter in left or the designated hitter, will have a reduced role in the National League city, and if Thome continues to struggle, he will platoon at first with Kevin Seitzer (.269).

* TEAM BATTING:.286 with 220 home runs, 301 doubles and 810 RBIs.

* TEAM PITCHING: 4.73 ERA with four complete games, 1,036 strikeouts, 575 walks and 39 saves.

MARLINS AT A GLANCE

STARTING LINEUP

(Regular-Season Averages)

*--*

Pos. Player Avg. CF Devon White .245 SS Edgar Renteria .277 RF Gary Sheffield .250 3B Bobby Bonilla .297 1B Darren Daulton .263 LF Moises Alou .292 C Charles Johnson .250 2B Craig Counsell .299 P Livan Hernandez .172

*--*

* ANALYSIS: The Marlins were similar to the Indians in that they were outhit, .253 to .199; outscored, 21-20; out-homered, 6-1, and outpitched, 2.60 ERA to 3.57, by Atlanta in the National League championship series, but they still eliminated the Braves in six games. And, as did the Indians, the Marlins got clutch hits and beat the opposing team’s ace, Greg Maddux, twice in one week. But there is reason for Manager Jim Leyland to be concerned. Leadoff batter White is batting .188 and Alou .138 in the playoffs, and Jeff Conine has only one RBI. Florida has been resourceful, though, taking advantage of Atlanta’s mistakes to score five unearned runs in a 5-3 Game 1 victory. Starting pitching has been the Marlins’ strength in the playoffs with Kevin Brown (2-0, 3.27 ERA) and Livan Hernandez (2-0, 1.23), who replaced the injured Alex Fernandez. Closer Robb Nen did not give up a run in four playoff appearances, and he has capable setup men in right-hander Jay Powell and left-hander Dennis Cook.

* KEY RESERVES: Conine (.242) is a better defensive first baseman than Daulton, and Leyland will start him in Game 2, since Brown usually gets a lot of ground balls. Kurt Abbott (.274) probably will split time at second base with Counsell.

* TEAM BATTING: .259 with 136 home runs, 272 doubles and 703 RBIs.

* TEAM PITCHING: 3.83 ERA, 12 complete games, 1,188 strikeouts, 639 walks and 39 saves.

KEY TO THE SERIES

Can the Marlins’ starting pitching hold up? Can the Indians’ incredible run of clutch hits and good fortune continue? Brown, the Marlin right-hander, has the potential to dominate the Indians and Hernandez had been the surprise of the playoffs. Hershiser’s playoff success and ability to be both tenacious and calm may give the Indians a slight edge tonight, but rookie Jaret Wright, the Game 2 starter, was hit hard by the Orioles in his last playoff start. The Indians will have to generate offense in a more conventional manner because they won’t always be able to score on a botched squeeze or get two runs on a wild pitch, as they did against Baltimore.