Yankees get three in ninth, one win away from title
PHILADELPHIA – The champagne is on ice.
It looked as if the Yankees gamble to start CC Sabathia on three days rest was going to backfire as Joba Chamberlain was unable to protect a one-run lead in the eighth inning.
Down to their final strike in the ninth inning, the Yankees reached back into their vault of the late 90’s resourcefulness and pulled out a win that if they go on to win it all, will be remembered in Yankee history forever.
Down to their final strike in the ninth inning of a 4-4 tie, a walk, heads up play on the bases, and a memorable clutch hit to take the lead, a 3-1 series advantage and with a victory in Game 5, can win their first World Series championship since 2000.
The Yankees 7-4 victory over the Phillies in front of 46,145 at Citizens Bank Park was another to be added to the “Yankees Classics” that are likely to be shown during the win if they go on to win it all.
Phillies closer Brad Lidge was entrusted in preserving a 4-4 tie in the top half of the ninth inning. He was able to get the first two outs when Hideki Matsui popped out to shortstop and Derek Jeter struck out swinging. With two outs and no one on, Johnny Damon was down in the count 1-2 before fouling away pitches and eventually working the count foul leading to a single to left center.
On a 1-0 pitch to Mark Teixeira, Damon took off for second and made it sliding feet first. However, with the Phillies playing in an over shift to the right side against the Teixeira, (a known pull hitter) Damon took off for third and made it uncontested with no one covering the bag.
Teixeira was then hit in the side by a Lidge fastball and this brought up Alex Rodriguez. After taking the first pitch for a strike, Rodriguez laced a double to left that scored Damon and gave the Yankees a 5-4 lead.
Jorge Posada would then single home two more runs when he hit another fastball into left center to extend the lead to three runs before Mariano Rivera came in and needed only eight pitches to slam the door.
The game was tied in the ninth because the Yankees bullpen was unable to hold a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. Joba Chamberlain was one strike away from pitching a 1-2-3 frame as he struck out the first two hitters before going to a 3-2 count on Pedro Feliz, a deadly fastball hitter. A fastball found the middle of the plate and Feliz took it out to tie the score.
That took what would have been a victory from CC Sabathia, who started on three days rest and pitched into the seventh inning, leaving with a 4-3 lead.
The Yankees gave Sabathia a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jeter singled and Damon doubled to open the game. Teixeira’s groundout to first scored Jeter from third. After Phillies starter Joe Blanton hit Alex Rodriguez, Posada followed with a sacrifice fly to score Damon from third.
Sabathia gave a run back in the bottom of the inning when Chase Utley, who homered twice of Sabathia in Game 1, doubled off the wall in right center, scoring Shane Victorino to cut the lead to 2-1. The next seven in a row would be retired before Ryan Howard singled to center, stole second base and then scored on a base hit to left by Feliz. Damon’s throw was ahead of Howard to the plate, but Howard was able to dislodge the ball out of Posada’s glove, yet as replays would later show, never touched home plate. The Yankees did not argue because the moment the ball went past Posada glove, Sabathia (who was covering the play from behind) threw quickly to second to get out Feliz.
The Yankees would retake the lead in the top half of the fifth when Jeter singled to shallow left to score Nick Swisher (who lead off the inning with a walk) to make it 3-2. An RBI single by Damon scored Melky Cabrera (reached on an infield single) to regain the two run advantage.
Sabathia looked to be on the ropes in the bottom half when the Phillies got the first two runners on to start the inning when Jimmy Rollins singled and Victorino drew a walk. Philadelphia could not take advantage as Utley and Howard each popped out and Jayson Werth struck out to end the inning.
After Utley homered for the third time in the series off Sabathia in the bottom of the seventh, the Yankee left-hander was done for the night. Working on three days rest, he went 6 2/3 innings, giving up three runs and seven hits, walking three and striking out six in 107 pitches.
Damaso Marte, who has impressed in the postseason, struck out Howard to end the seventh and preserved the Yankee lead until the bottom of the eighth when Chamberlain entered.
Monday night, the Yankees will look to wrap up the series in Game 5 with AJ Burnett, starting on three days rest against Cliff Lee, who pitched a complete game against them in Game 1 and has a 3-0 mark with a 0.54 ERA in four postseason starts.
PHILADELPHIA – The champagne is on ice.
It looked as if the Yankees gamble to start CC Sabathia on three days rest was going to backfire as Joba Chamberlain was unable to protect a one-run lead in the eighth inning.
Down to their final strike in the ninth inning, the Yankees reached back into their vault of the late 90’s resourcefulness and pulled out a win that if they go on to win it all, will be remembered in Yankee history forever.
Down to their final strike in the ninth inning of a 4-4 tie, a walk, heads up play on the bases, and a memorable clutch hit to take the lead, a 3-1 series advantage and with a victory in Game 5, can win their first World Series championship since 2000.
The Yankees 7-4 victory over the Phillies in front of 46,145 at Citizens Bank Park was another to be added to the “Yankees Classics” that are likely to be shown during the win if they go on to win it all.
Phillies closer Brad Lidge was entrusted in preserving a 4-4 tie in the top half of the ninth inning. He was able to get the first two outs when Hideki Matsui popped out to shortstop and Derek Jeter struck out swinging. With two outs and no one on, Johnny Damon was down in the count 1-2 before fouling away pitches and eventually working the count foul leading to a single to left center.
On a 1-0 pitch to Mark Teixeira, Damon took off for second and made it sliding feet first. However, with the Phillies playing in an over shift to the right side against the Teixeira, (a known pull hitter) Damon took off for third and made it uncontested with no one covering the bag.
Teixeira was then hit in the side by a Lidge fastball and this brought up Alex Rodriguez. After taking the first pitch for a strike, Rodriguez laced a double to left that scored Damon and gave the Yankees a 5-4 lead.
Jorge Posada would then single home two more runs when he hit another fastball into left center to extend the lead to three runs before Mariano Rivera came in and needed only eight pitches to slam the door.
The game was tied in the ninth because the Yankees bullpen was unable to hold a one-run lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. Joba Chamberlain was one strike away from pitching a 1-2-3 frame as he struck out the first two hitters before going to a 3-2 count on Pedro Feliz, a deadly fastball hitter. A fastball found the middle of the plate and Feliz took it out to tie the score.
That took what would have been a victory from CC Sabathia, who started on three days rest and pitched into the seventh inning, leaving with a 4-3 lead.
The Yankees gave Sabathia a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning. Jeter singled and Damon doubled to open the game. Teixeira’s groundout to first scored Jeter from third. After Phillies starter Joe Blanton hit Alex Rodriguez, Posada followed with a sacrifice fly to score Damon from third.
Sabathia gave a run back in the bottom of the inning when Chase Utley, who homered twice of Sabathia in Game 1, doubled off the wall in right center, scoring Shane Victorino to cut the lead to 2-1. The next seven in a row would be retired before Ryan Howard singled to center, stole second base and then scored on a base hit to left by Feliz. Damon’s throw was ahead of Howard to the plate, but Howard was able to dislodge the ball out of Posada’s glove, yet as replays would later show, never touched home plate. The Yankees did not argue because the moment the ball went past Posada glove, Sabathia (who was covering the play from behind) threw quickly to second to get out Feliz.
The Yankees would retake the lead in the top half of the fifth when Jeter singled to shallow left to score Nick Swisher (who lead off the inning with a walk) to make it 3-2. An RBI single by Damon scored Melky Cabrera (reached on an infield single) to regain the two run advantage.
Sabathia looked to be on the ropes in the bottom half when the Phillies got the first two runners on to start the inning when Jimmy Rollins singled and Victorino drew a walk. Philadelphia could not take advantage as Utley and Howard each popped out and Jayson Werth struck out to end the inning.
After Utley homered for the third time in the series off Sabathia in the bottom of the seventh, the Yankee left-hander was done for the night. Working on three days rest, he went 6 2/3 innings, giving up three runs and seven hits, walking three and striking out six in 107 pitches.
Damaso Marte, who has impressed in the postseason, struck out Howard to end the seventh and preserved the Yankee lead until the bottom of the eighth when Chamberlain entered.
Monday night, the Yankees will look to wrap up the series in Game 5 with AJ Burnett, starting on three days rest against Cliff Lee, who pitched a complete game against them in Game 1 and has a 3-0 mark with a 0.54 ERA in four postseason starts.
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