San Francisco, CA (My Sportsbook) - Livan Hernandez hopes to continue his postseason magic on Sunday, when the San Francisco Giants attempt to avoid elimination in Game 4 of their best-of-five National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves.

Hernandez is 5-0 lifetime in the postseason, including 1-0 with a 1.54 earned run average in a pair of outings -- one start -- in the NLDS. In his only NL Division Series start, against the New York Mets in 2000, he surrendered one run on five hits over 7 2/3 innings in a 5-1 victory.

While a member of the Florida Marlins, the Cuban righthander went 2-0 in the NL Championship Series and 2-0 in the World Series to garner MVP honors. His opponent in the '97 NLCS was the Braves, who managed just one run on five hits in 10 2/3 innings. In all, Hernandez has a 2.75 ERA in six postseason outings -- four starts.

"I never lose in October," said Hernandez. "I'll try to continue. I like the big games. I've been working hard. This is the time to pitch good. Let's see what happens."

While his postseason record is spotless, the 27-year-old hurler was just 12-16 with a 4.38 ERA during the 2002 regular season. He last toed the slate against the San Diego Padres on September 25, throwing a two-hit shutout with one walk and a pair of strikeouts. At home this season, Hernandez went 7-9 with a 3.99 earned run average and three complete games in 18 attempts.

For his career, including the postseason, he is 4-7 versus Atlanta. Hernandez faced the Braves twice during the regular season and was 0-2 with a 4.77 ERA.

Tom Glavine takes the ball today for the Braves. Glavine started Game 1 of this series and was tagged with the loss after surrendering six runs on 10 hits in five innings at Turner Field. He walked a pair and struck out three.

The veteran lefthander earned the Game 1 nod after going 18-11 with a 2.96 earned run average during the regular season. Glavine started 16 games on the road in 2002, compiling a 9-5 record with a 2.69 ERA and one complete game.

A year ago in the NLDS against the Houston Astros, the two-time Cy Young Award winner tossed eight scoreless innings to lead Atlanta to a 1-0 victory in Game 2 and sent his club home with a commanding two-games-to-none lead. Glavine has started eight games in his career in the NL Division Series, going 3-2 with a 4.13 ERA.

Lifetime, Glavine is 12-14 with a 3.17 ERA in the postseason. During the regular season, he is 17-13 for his career against the Giants, including 1-0 this year. On August 14 at Turner Field, the 36-year-old hurler tossed seven scoreless frames of five-hit ball in a 1-0 victory over San Francisco.

After dropping the opener of this series, the Braves have won the last two, including a resounding 10-2 triumph on Saturday, to move within one victory of their second straight appearance in the NLCS. Vinny Castilla's two-run single and Keith Lockhart's three-run homer fueled a five-run sixth inning, enabling the Braves to move closer to their 12th NL Championship Series in franchise history.

Lockhart finished 2-for-5 with four RBI, while Andruw Jones drove in a pair of runs in the victory.

"I have gotten some hits, but that's probably the biggest," explained Lockhart about his three-run shot. "I'll enjoy it. We talked earlier how there were not many in the season, but the ones I've had have been pretty timely."

Greg Maddux pitched six solid innings for the NL East-champion Braves, giving up two runs on five hits. Maddux, who was scratched from his scheduled Game 2 start because of a blister on the index finger of his pitching hand, whiffed three and walked one, while hitting a batter.

"I felt it a little bit," Maddux said of the blister. "I felt it when I threw my slider and my cutter. But it really didn't affect me."

The 36-year-old righthander improved to 11-13 with a 3.23 ERA in 30 career postseason games, including 28 starts. Maddux is 5-2 with a 3.15 ERA lifetime in NLDS play.

Jeff Kent had an RBI double and Barry Bonds hit his second home run of the series for the Giants, who are 9-9 in home playoff games since moving to San Francisco and have a 2-12 postseason record since winning the 1989 NLCS.

Bonds and manager Dusty Baker are both trying to snap playoff droughts. Bonds has lost all five postseason series he has competed in, while Baker is 0-for-2 as a manager in the playoffs.

Jason Schmidt, who was an eighth-round draft choice of the Braves in 1991 and was making the first playoff appearance of his career, surrendered four runs on three hits with five strikeouts and four walks over 5 1/3 innings to absorb the loss.

In all, the Giants used eight pitchers to tie the Texas Rangers' 1996 mark for most hurlers used in an LDS game. The overall playoff record is 13.

San Francisco was 50-31 during the regular season at Pac Bell Park, while the Braves were a National League-best 49-31 on the road. These teams split six regular-season meetings, with each winning twice in San Francisco.

Atlanta is 11-2 all-time in Division Series games on the road, with the two losses coming at St. Louis in 2000.

If a fifth and deciding contest is necessary, the series will shift back to Turner Field on Monday. Kevin Millwood (1-0, 3.00) will face off against Russ Ortiz (1-0, 2.57). Millwood earned the win in Game 2 with six frames of three- hit, two-run ball, while Ortiz allowed a pair of runs on five hits over seven innings to defeat Glavine in the opener.