Knowing that Pedro Martinez is sidelined and perhaps Tom Glavine, too, Orlando Hernandez came up with one of his performances of old. Baffling hitters by changing speeds and arm angles, Hernandez won for the fifth time in six decisions, leading the Mets over the Colorado Rockies 2–0 yesterday for a three-game sweep.

“Vintage El Duque,” Mets manager Willie Randolph said. “It reminded me of when he was on top of his game.”

Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran homered as the Mets completed their eighth series sweep.

“Guys are going out there, stepped up and pitched some big games here lately. That’s part of being a championship team,” said Billy Wagner, who saved all three games of the series to increase his season total to 31 in 36 chances.

Hernandez (9–9) struck out eight in six innings, and allowed five hits and one walk. Chad Bradford, Aaron Heilman, and Wagner followed with hitless relief.

El Duque got into his biggest jam in the fifth, when Brad Hawpe singled leading off and Yorvit Torrealba doubled. Hernandez struck out Clint Barmes, threw a called third strike past pitcher Jason Jennings (7–10) and then fanned Jamey Carroll. He punched his pitching hand into his glove in excitement, and the public address system played Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke.”

“It’s some good luck,” Hernandez said. Hernandez caught a break in the sixth when catcher Mike DiFelice threw out Cory Sullivan trying to steal second, and Matt Holliday followed with a ground-rule double.The 40-year-old righthander then threw a called third strike past his final batter, Garrett Atkins.

“He was absolutely at his best in traffic today,” Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. “When he had men on, he was able to throw at different speeds and different arm angles. I don’t think anyone has ever pitched in the majors who can show you that variety and three different arm angles and change of speeds, except maybe Luis Tiant.”

Yet before the game, Hernandez felt sore, according to Beltran, and the Mets had Darren Oliver in reserve in case El Duque didn’t feel good warming up.

“Every veteran pitcher that has gone through the wars that these guys have gone through, they all have their days,” pitching coach Rick Peterson said. “Sometimes you don’t know how your body is going to respond until you actually start to warm up, but he felt very confident going in there.”

At the plate, Hernandez reached twice, on a single and an error, and he stole the first base of his major league career.

“He doesn’t get paid to steal bases,” Delgado said with a smile.

Wearing the uniform style of their 1986 World Series championship team for the second straight day, the Mets won despite getting just four hits, extended their home winning streak to eight and beat the Rockies for the 13th time in their last 14 matchups at Shea Stadium. New York, an NLbest 75–48, is 27 games over .500 for the first time since 1999.

Jennings dropped to 1–4 in his last 11 starts, giving up four hits in six innings. The Rockies have scored just nine runs in his last six starts.

Delgado homered leading off the second (no. 29) and Beltran leading off the sixth (no. 35). Colorado dropped to 5–15 on the road since the All-Star break.

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Tom Glavine’s pitching shoulder is being examined for a possible blood clot, and the Mets left-hander could miss the rest of the season.

Glavine felt coldness in his left ring finger after his start Wednesday in Philadelphia. Depending on tests, the 40-year-old pitcher could return to the mound next weekend or require surgery. The Mets don’t expect to receive test results until midweek.

“You get scared.You start wondering about the rest of your career, if there’s going to be one,” the two-time Cy Young Award winner said yesterday. “I had a wonderful career, and I’ve stayed healthy for the most part. I’ve envisioned my retirement, but I never envisioned it through an injury. So from that standpoint, it’s uneasy.

“It’s strange, too, because I sit here and I feel fine,” he added. “Everything feels great. I don’t have any pain anywhere or anything like that. It’s just I have this something going on inside my shoulder that needs to be looked at.”

Glavine is 12–6 with a 3.92 ERA for the NL East-leading Mets and his 287 victories rank third among active pitchers behind Roger Clemens (345) and Greg Maddux (329). New York already is without Pedro Martinez, on the 15-day disabled list after straining his right calf Monday.

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Three years after Guillermo Mota brawled with the Mets, the reliever was traded to New York by the Cleveland Indians yesterday for a player to be named.

Mike Piazza charged the mound after Mota hit him with a pitch on March 12, 2003. Piazza later went looking in the Dodgers’ clubhouse for Mota, who also hit him in spring training 2002.The catcher left the Mets after last season to sign with San Diego.

Mota, a 33-year-old right-hander, is 1–3 with a 6.21 ERA in 34 games for the Indians this year, allowing 25 hits and 19 walks in 37.2 innings with 27 strikeouts.