Hoping to reverse David Cone’s recent struggles, the Yankees have decided that extra rest is the answer. Joe Torre said Hideki Irabu will move up a day and start in Cone’s place tomorrow, while Cone will move back and start Tuesday night against Oakland on seven days’ rest.

“Cone will be on his seventh day. I anticipate he should be fine,” Torre said before yesterday’s 2-1 win over Seattle. “He’s always done well on extra rest. It’s guesswork. An extra day has always helped him, so we’ll see what two extra days does.”

Cone had been 10-4 with a 2.65 ERA after his perfect game on July 18; since then he’s just 1-3 with a 4.34 ERA. And his last outing, a 12/3-inning, six-run disaster at Texas last Tuesday – along with his below-par stuff – has convinced the Bombers that extra rest might be the answer.

There is precedent for Cone pitching better with extra rest. When he began to wear down last year the Yanks pitched him on six days’ rest for much of the stretch run with positive results. And GM Brian Cashman says they may go one better this time around.

“He’ll go on a seventh day of rest. Then, if that works well, there’s a chance he’ll go like that the rest of the way,” Cashman said. “We’ll evaluate him and see how he does Tuesday. It’s not locked in stone; we can do some juggling.” *Orlando Hernandez equaled his career high with 13 strikeouts yesterday, matching his output of last Aug. 13 against Texas. Twelve of his 13 strikeouts were swinging, and he fanned at least one Mariner in every inning. With El Duque’s eight-inning, one-run, 13-K performance, Yankee starters have compiled a 2.14 ERA over their last 21 home games. *Bench coach Don Zimmer was released from Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center yesterday morning after being treated for neck pain and undergoing evaluation of a minor cardiac abnormality for which he’d been treated for in the past. He is expected back in uniform today. * Darryl Strawberry went 3-for-5 with three runs scored in another minor-league rehab start for Triple-A Columbus Friday night. He had a single, double, triple and walk – and, according to the club, ran well with no signs of trouble from his always-questionable knees.

Cashman said it’s likely, but not definite, that Strawberry would be called up when the rosters expand on Sept. 1. *Lefty Andy Pettitte (11-9, 4.46) closes out the Seattle series against Paul Abbott (5-0, 3.26) today at 1:35 p.m. Irabu opens the Oakland series against Tim Hudson (8-1, 3.27).