(AP Photo)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | ||
| NYY | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 1 | |
| PHI | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 1 |
WP - Joba Chamberlain (1-0)
LP - Brad Lidge (0-1)
SV - Mariano Rivera (2)
Another thriller, another win, and another step closer to that illusive 27th ring.
With a big three-run ninth the Yankees were able to defeat the Phillies 7-4 to increase their lead in the series to 3 games to 1. I'll get to the ninth in a little bit, but first let's start with the starters.
It was a matchup of CC Sabathia vs. Joe Blanton, which on paper clearly looked to favor the Yankees, but as we've learn through many Octobers, nothing is ever as clear as it seems.
Both pitchers struggled through their first frame, with Blanton giving up two runs and CC allowing one.
Derek Jeter led off the first for the Yankees with a single and Johnny Damon started what would be a big night for the Yankees left fielder with a double to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. Mark Teixeira drove in the Yankees first run with a ground out to first. Ryan Howard made a very nice diving play and saved what could have been a disastorous inning for Blanton. After Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch, his third HBP in two games, Jorge Posada drove in the Yanks second run with a sac fly.
The A-Rod hit by pitch was significant because it led to both teams being warned, pretty much taking the inside part of the plate away from CC Sabathia before he even threw a pitch.
Did it effect CC? I honestly couldn't tell, but it's never fair to warn a pitcher before he throws a pitch. I know this may sound crazy, but how about from now on when one pitcher does something that warrants a warning, while the other pitcher has done no wrong, only that team gets that warning. Maybe Bud Selig along with the MLB umpires cannot grasp that kind of logic, but to me it makes perfect sense.
Anyway...
CC got Jimmy Rollins to fly to right for the first out in the first, but then Shane Victorino and Chase Utley hit back-to-back doubles and the Phillies had cut the lead to one.
The score would remain 2-1 until the bottom of the 4th. Ryan Howard led off the inning with a single and then stole second. I guess you could say CC and Posada fell completely ignored him, but I can't really blame them for falling asleep on Howard. Did you think he was going to steal? After two outs, Pedro Feliz came through with a big two-out RBI single to tie the game. Howard, however, still has yet to touch home plate.
But as they have all season, the Yankees took a punch and then came back with one of their own. Nick Swisher started things off with the dreaded leadoff walk and Melky Cabrera followed with an infield single -- a play Utley probably should have turned into a force at second -- to put runners on 1st and 2nd with nobody out. CC failed to get a bunt down and eventually struck out with runners still on 1st and 2nd. Jeter was next and came through with an RBI single just out of the reach of a diving Rollins to give the lead back to the Yanks. Damon then extended the Yankees lead to 4-2 with a bloop RBI single. All four runs were charged to Blanton, who would end up lasting six innings.
Then came the biggest moment of the game that nobody will be talking about; the bottom of the fifth. The Yankees had just regained the lead, but CC had to face the top of the Phillies order. Things started off bad as CC allowed a single to Rollins and walked Victorino to put the tying runs on base. To me the next three batters changed the game. CC was able to get Chase Utley, who owns him, and Howard to both pop out to the infield. He then struck out Jayson Werth to end the threat. This was a perfect time in the game for a pitcher to collapse, but CC did not. If he had we're talking about a tied series right now.
Utley would get some revenge, though, because in the bottom of the 7th, with the score still 4-2 Yankees, he launched his third home run of the series, a two out solo shot to cut the Yankees lead to just one. All three homers this series have come of Sabathia. That was the last batter CC faced. It was far from a dominating performance, but it turned out to be enough for the Yanks tonight.
Damaso Marte came in and continued his fantastic postseason by getting Howard to fly out to left to end the inning. He was nothing all year, but this October he's been this team's version of Graeme Lloyd in 1996.
After a scoreless eighth by Phillies' reliever Ryan Madson, Joba Chamberlain came into pitch the bottom half for the Yanks. He threw the ball very well, throwing strikes and hitting 97 mph on the radar gun, but with two-out he served up a game-tying solo homer to Pedro Feliz. It was a 3-2 count and Joba went to one too many fastballs. He also missed his spot by about a foot. Joba then struck out Carlos Ruiz to end the inning, but the damage had been done.
At this point I wasn't feeling pretty bad about this game, but like I mentioned before this team took a punch and came right back with one of their own.
Brad Lidge came into the game, and started off with two quick outs but then came an at-bat by Johnny Damon that may just lead to the Yankees 27th World Series championship. He took a fastball inside, ball one. Then fouled off three straight sliders and found himself behind in the count 1-2. Lidge then missed with two fastballs to run the count full at 3-2. Damon then fouled off two more tough fastballs and finally lined the ninth pitch of the at-bat into left-center for a single. To make the at-bat even more significant he took off on the first pitch to Teixeira and stole second. Then, when he realized that nobody was covering third due to the Teixeira shift, he took off and stole third.
Not only did this put the lead run 90 feet away, but it pretty much neutralized Lidge's best pitch, the slider in the dirt. He did throw four more sliders in the inning, but none of them had that put away movement that he had shown to the batters prior to Damon.
Lidge them made a crucial mistake and hit the struggling Mark Teixeira to bring A-Rod to the plate. After taking a first-pitch fastball for strike one, A-Rod was ready for the second and drilled it into the corner in left to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead with an RBI double. It was another huge hit for the Yankees third baseman, who continues to shut up the critics. After this October I don't think anyone will ever question whether Alex Rodriguez can perform on the big stage. After A-Rod heroics Jorge Posada stepped up and drove the nail in the coffin with a huge two-run single into left-center.
Mariano Rivera needed just eight pitches to breeze through the Phillies 9-1-2 hitters and give the Yankees a 3-1 stranglehold on the series. And yes, Jimmy Rollins once against popped out in the infield. I guess he's not as easy to hit as you thought, huh?
There was some bad news tonight, as Melky Cabrera strained his left hamstring. We all first noticed the injury on a groundout in the sixth inning, but as the MLB Network guys pointed out he may have actually injured himself scoring on Damon's single in the fifth. Either way I'd be surprised if he played at all the rest of the series. Hopefully Brett Gardner can do the job in his place.
The Yankees are now just one win away from glory. Following his brilliant start in game 1, A.J. Burnett will take the ball on short rest as the Yankees look to put the Phillies away. The Phils will counter with Cliff Lee, who was nearly unhittable in game 1. First pitch is set for 7:57 p.m. and always the game can be seen on FOX.
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Pitches-strikes: Sabathia 107-67, Marte, D 4-3, Chamberlain 19-12, Rivera, Ma 8-6.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Johnny Damon (3-for-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R, 2 SB)
HONORABLE MENTION: Jorge Posada (1-for-3, 3 RBI)
GAME 5
Yankees @ Phillies
Game Time: 7:57 p.m. | TV/Radio: FOX, WCBS
RHP A.J. Burnett (1-0, 3.55) vs. LHP Cliff Lee (3-0, 0.54)