Things weren't going well for Livan Hernandez even before he set foot in Japan. On Sunday evening at the Tokyo Dome, they got even worse.

The San Francisco Giants right-hander gave up eight earned runs in 1 1/3 innings of work -- if that's what you want to call it -- as the Japanese team trounced its major-league counterpart 14-2 in Game 3 of the All-Star Series 2000.

Tatsuhiko Kinjo of the Yokohama BayStars went 4-for-4 with two RBIs, while Norihiro Nakamura of the Kintetsu Buffaloes nailed a three-run homer to give Japan its first win of the series. The MLB squad now leads the eight-game series 2-1.

"I had confidence I could play good defense, but I was happy I hit so well," said Kinjo, who also scored three runs and was named the game's outstanding player.

"It's nice that the major leaguers now know my name," he added.

Before 34,000 fans, Hernandez was simply atrocious. Seven of the first eight batters he faced reached base. He surrendered nine hits and two walks on 49 pitches before hitting the showers.

Hernandez, a Cuban defector, arrived in Japan a day late because of visa problems. The holdup forced skipper Bobby Cox to go with Randy Johnson in Game 2 on Saturday night. Johnson was originally slated to pitch Game 3.

As bad as Hernandez was, give the Japanese batters credit. They took advantage of the righty's shakiness and their attack was balanced all night. Six players finished with at least one RBI, while every starter had at least one of the team's 20 hits. Runs came early and often, too, as Japan scored in six of the first seven innings.

The assault by Sadaharu Oh's troops began with five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Hernandez, who last pitched three weeks ago in the playoffs against the New York Mets, gave up a leadoff single to Yomiuri Giants second baseman Toshihisa Nishi. Kinjo then sliced an RBI double to left-center, and the rout was on.

After Nakamura walked, Yomiuri slugger Hideki Matsui singled to load the bases. One out later, Tsuyoshi Shinjo of the Hanshin Tigers broke open the three-hour contest with a three-run triple to center. Michihiro Ogasawara of the Nippon Ham Fighters gave Japan a 5-0 lead with an infield single that brought home Shinjo.

The major leaguers pulled one back in the top of the second inning when Mets center fielder Jay Payton singled home Mike Sweeney of the Kansas City Royals. The visitors' other run came in the third, when San Francisco left fielder Barry Bonds led off with a solo clout to right off starter Shinji Sasaoka of the Hiroshima Carp. In the seventh, Bonds cracked a towering shot down the right-field line that first-base umpire Jim McKean judged foul. Bonds, some in the press box and many fans out in right saw it differently.

The Japanese, meanwhile, went right back to work in the bottom of the second. Hernandez began the inning by giving up singles to Nishi and Kinjo. Nakamura then homered into the left-field seats to give his club an 8-1 lead. After Carp left fielder Tomoaki Kanemoto doubled, Cox yanked his struggling starter and the bleeding stopped -- temporarily, at least.

The Japanese added runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings off two MLB relievers.

The seventh frame belonged to Yomiuri. With the bases loaded and none out, Matsui smacked a two-run single to left. Pinch-hitter Yoshinobu Takahashi of the Giants then followed with an RBI single of his own to make it 14-2.

Sasaoka gave up five hits over three innings and struck out one for the win. Hernandez was tagged with the loss. Japan sent five pitchers to the hill and gave up 10 hits. The major leaguers used five hurlers as well.

Some of the big guns on the major-league team were quiet all night. Anaheim Angels third baseman Troy Glaus, who led the American League with 47 homers, went 0-for-4, while Toronto Blue Jays slugger Carlos Delgado (41 homers in the regular season) went hitless in four trips to the plate. In the first and fourth frames, the major leaguers left the bases jammed.

On defense, the Japanese were solid as well. Chiba Lotte Marines shortstop Makoto Kosaka saved a few runs in the eighth inning with a fine throw to first with runners at second and third.

The series resumes with Game 4 at the Fukuoka Dome on Tuesday night.