Well, after a boring off-day, the World Series is back and will resume tonight as the Yanks and Phillies will play Game 3 at Citizens Bank Park, to make for an extra special Halloween.
For the Yankees, they're coming off that Game 2 win back at Yankee Stadium in which they beat Pedro Martinez, and A.J. Burnett threw a gem as the Yanks won 3-1. It tied the series up at 1 game a piece, and now they will send Andy Pettitte out to the hill trying to take a 2 games to 1 lead in the Fall Classic. This postseason, Andy has been great, allowing just 5 runs in 19 innings while striking out 15. He pitched Game 6 of the ALCS and allowed only 1 run against the Angels. The Yanks, as you know, went on to win the game to send them to the World Series.
As for the Phillies, they're very confident going into Game 3 as the Series is back in Philly, where the Phillies have had an overpowerng home-field advantage against their opponents, just like the Yanks in the new Stadium. Citizens Bank Park will be rocking, and the Yanks will really need to focus. But with a struggling lefty in Cole Hamels starting for the Phillies, the Yanks may actually have the edge even though they're playing at the Bank. Hamels, the hero for the Phillies last October, has had a horrid postseason, sporting a 6.75 ERA in 2 starts. He actually nearly blew the lead for the Phillies in Game 5 of the NLCS, but Charlie Manuel took him out before the Dodgers could tee-off him any longer. So the Phillies will really need to cross their fingers here if they want to win this game.
All in all, I really think the Yankees have the edge here. Pettitte has been great all year, while Hamels has been very inconsistent and very well may get bombed tonight in Philadelphia. I see Pettitte going 6 plus of 2 or 3-run ball, and I think the Yankees will come away with the Game 3 win.
