NOTES

Former opera star Robert Merrill, long considered a good-luck charm by owner George Steinbrenner when he belts out the national anthem in Yankee Stadium, was a bit miffed when he was bumped Saturday night in favor of Tony Bennett, who sang “America the Beautiful.” Merrill, 75, will sing the anthem before Game 2 tonight.

“I’ve been doing it for--what?--28 years now,” Merrill told the New York Daily News. “I have brought [the Yankees] luck every time. Playoffs. Pennants. World Series. Well, now they are on their own.”

TONIGHT’S PITCHERS

PADRES’ ANDY ASHBY (17-9, 3.34 ERA) vs. YANKEES’ ORLANDO HERNANDEZ (12-4, 3.13 ERA)

Site-Yankee Stadium. Time--5 p.m., Channel 11

* Update--San Diego Manager Bruce Bochy believes the fact the Padres have never seen Hernandez, the Cuban right-hander with the high leg kick and deceptive deliveries, will work in the Yankees’ favor. Hernandez turned the ALCS around for the Yankees, throwing seven shutout innings in a Game 4 victory that evened the series.