Jackie Hernandez experienced one of his most joyful moments in baseball after one of his most frustrating performances.
Born in Cuba, Hernandez was a shortstop in the major leagues for nine seasons with the Angels (1965-66), Twins (1967-68), Royals (1969-70) and Pirates (1971-73).
Hernandez had his most memorable season in 1971 when the Pirates won the World Series championship. He opened the season as the starting shortstop because incumbent Gene Alley was sidelined with a broken hand. Late in the season, Alley had a bad knee and Hernandez was the primary shortstop in the pennant stretch and in the postseason.
PIrates manager Danny Murtaugh “isn’t looking for base hits from Hernandez,” The Sporting News reported. “The manager wants steady shortstop play.”
On Sept. 22, 1971, at St. Louis, Hernandez struck out four times against Bob Gibson, but the Pirates beat the Cardinals, 5-1, and clinched the National League East Division title.
Hernandez contributed with his fielding, helping the Pirates turn three double plays.
As the Pirates celebrated inside the clubhouse at Busch Memorial Stadium, Hernandez smiled as he wiped champagne off his spikes. He never had been on a club that qualified for the postseason.
“For the first time in my life, I struck out four times and it didn’t bother me,” Hernandez said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I don’t care if I get a hit, or if I get on base. Just so we win the game. That’s all I cared about.” Boxscore
Hernandez started six of the seven games in the 1971 World Series against the Orioles and committed no errors in 53.2 innings at shortstop.
In the ninth inning of Game 7, with the Pirates clinging to a 2-1 lead at Baltimore, Hernandez cleanly handled the last two outs.
After Frank Robinson popped out to Hernandez for the second out in the ninth, Merv Rettenmund hit one on the ground. “The ball skipped up the middle and a foot or so to the right of second base,” The Sporting News reported. “Base hit? No chance. Hernandez was playing almost behind second. It wasn’t a routine play, but he was there in plenty of time to grab the ball and fire to first baseman Bob Robertson for the clinching out.” Boxscore
Hernandez hit .208 in his major-league career, including .205 versus the Cardinals.
One of his most productive games with the bat occurred against the Cardinals on May 17, 1972, at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. Hernandez, batting eighth in the order, was 3-for-4 with three RBI in a 12-0 Pirates victory.
He entered the game with a season batting average of .167 and no RBI.
Hernandez broke the game open in the fourth inning. The Pirates led, 3-0, when Hernandez batted against Cardinals starter Reggie Cleveland with one out and the bases loaded. Hernandez hit a single to left, driving in two and giving the Pirates a 5-0 lead.
In the fifth, the Pirates scored three times against Joe Grzenda, extending their lead to 9-0. Hernandez scored Richie Hebner from third with a two-out single.
Hernandez also had a double to left in the seventh against Lance Clemons. Boxscore
RetroSimba 
For a couple of years in the 1960s, Gene Alley may have been the best shortstop in the National League. From 1968-forward, “injury-riddled” best describes his later Pirate years.
Thanks for the remembrances of a talented shortstop who rarely gets mentioned any more.
Earl Weaver will forever be one of the baseball figures that I respect and admire. The statement he made regarding Hernandez, however, was un-professional. Danny Murtaugh made it clear why he put Jackie in the lineup and what he expected from him. Come world series time, Hernandez delivered even more. Besides not committing any errors, he got on base six times. On Sept. 1st of that same season, Hernandez was part of the all minority starting lineup that the Pirates put on the field.
Yes, Earl Weaver said he didn’t think the Pirates could win a championship with Jackie Hernandez as their shortstop. Before managing, Weaver was an infielder who played many years in the Cardinals farm system but never was good enough to play in the majors.