Local star carries Pirates

Alan Robinson

Wednesday, May 15, 2002 | 10:03 a.m.

PITTSBURGH -- In only three days, Green Valley's Chad Hermansen has reminded the Pittsburgh Pirates of exactly why he was their most prized prospect for nearly six years.

The speed. The power. The natural ability. The base-stealing potential. The total package.

"We've always known what kind of talent he has," Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon said. "Now we're going to let it play and see what happens."

So far, an awful lot has happened in a short period of time.

Hermansen, seemingly on his way to another organization only a couple of months ago, hit a two-run homer as the Pirates won their best-played game in weeks, beating Arizona 2-1 Tuesday.

One night after committing a season-high four errors in an 11-0 loss to the Diamondbacks, the Pirates got solid pitching and excellent defense -- and one very important swing from Hermansen.

After Pirates pitcher Kip Wells singled with one out in the third, Hermansen worked the count to 3-2 as Brian Anderson (0-3) threw a series of changeups. Anderson then came back with a fastball, the same pitch he struck out Hermansen on in the first.

This time, Hermansen turned on the pitch and hit it into the left-field seats for his sixth -- and, probably, his most satisfying -- career homer.

"They want me to go up there and be aggressive, and go up there looking for a pitch to hit," said Hermansen, who hit only .193 in 74 games the last three seasons. "I don't think I had an approach when I was here before. I just went up there hoping for the best, instead of going up there with a game plan."

Certainly, it's too early to tell if Hermansen can stay this time, but the results since he was activated off the disabled list -- 5-for-11, two extra base hits, three stolen bases -- are encouraging to the Pirates. This is the Hermansen they saw in spring training when, after being given little chance to make the team, he hit .382 with three homers.

It's also a much better start than two years ago, when he left spring training as their starting center fielder, only to quickly go back to the minors after hitting .185 in 33 games.

Hermansen also has been aggressive running the bases, and he showed off his speed by laying down a bunt single on his at-bat after homering.

"He's a good athlete, with quick hands," Anderson said. "It wasn't a mistake pitch I threw him, he reacted well and hit it out."

Anderson didn't make many more mistakes over seven innings, but the homer -- and allowing the opposing pitcher to get a hit -- cost him his first victory since Oct. 4. He is 4-12 the last two seasons, and the losing is wearing on him, especially on a team that wins so frequently.

"I'm sick and tired of losing," he said. "The other guy threw a heck of a game, but it's a loss, and it gets tiring."

Wells (5-2) couldn't hold a 3-0 lead against Arizona and Curt Schilling on May 8, but he kept the Pirates in front this time before leaving with one out in the seventh. Quinton McCracken tripled and scored on a ground out in the fifth for Arizona's only run.