Yankees rally a blast from past
PHILADELPHIA– Here the Yankees were, in a tie game in the top of the ninth inning in Citizens Bank Park, down to their final out and strike.
They had gambled and started CC Sabathia on three days rest and were successful. Joba Chamberlain was one strike away from pitching a dominant eighth inning and preserving a one-run lead before leaving a fastball to Pedro Feliz, a dead fastball hitter, who crushed it to left field to tie the game.
Now, the Yankees were finding themselves in a precarious situation. If they did not score in the ninth, they would go to the bottom half against the top of the Phillies order with Phil Coke and Phil Hughes, which is essence would have been a sure victory. This would have meant an even series, Cliff Lee starting in Game 5, and with the way he has pitched in the postseason, elimination would have been staring them in the face.
Here was Brad Lidge, the Phillies closer who was perfect all of last season, but anything but this season. He blew 11 saves this season and was nothing of a sure thing in this postseason. Lidge had not pitched a game in this series and here he was on the mound trying to keep the game tied and give his team a chance. Facing Hideki Matsui and Derek Jeter, he looked like the closer who was dominant and overpowering the season before, with both hitters not looking to have much of a chance against him. Matsui popped out to short and Jeter struck out swinging as the crowd was in a roar with their white towels waving.
In stepped Johnny Damon and he quickly feel behind two strikes. The inevitable appeared to be coming. Damon fouled a ball off, and then took two more balls out of the zone to bring the count full and then two more foul balls. Lidge seeming could not put Damon away. On the ninth pitch of the at bat, Damon singled to left center to give the Yankees life.
The at bat was reminiscent of three previous at bats in the Yankees past. Who can forget Wade Boggs drawing the bases loaded walk off Steve Avery in Game 4 in 1996? How about Paul O’Neill working Mets closer Armando Benitez for a 10-pitch one out walk in Game 1 of the 2000 World Series? Lastly, the lengthy at bat Jorge Posada put on Al Leiter in Game 5 of that series after the Mets left-hander had already struck out the first two and was up 0-2 on the count.
The baton was now carried to Mark Teixeira, who outside of his homerun in Game 2, had not shown up in the series. On a 1-0 pitch, Damon took off for second and stole the base. However, with the Phillies defense in an over shift on Teixeira, no one was covering third base. With presence of mind, Damon took off for third and made it there uncontested. It was the most stunning of plays.
With Damon on third, the ability of Lidge (known for his wild pitches) to use his slider was negated. Perhaps he was rattled by was unfolding around him as with the next offering after the stolen base, Teixeira was hit in the side with a pitch. This put runners on the corners with two out and brought Rodriguez to the plate.
It is amazing how a moment can just find you. For Rodriguez, this was it. He made himself known to the playoff world against the Twins and played on another planet against the Angels. He had struggled in the first two games against the Phillies, but in Game 3 completely altered the course of the game when he hit a two-run homer off the FOX camera in right, igniting an eventual five-run rally over two innings to chase Cole Hamels from the game. Here he was again with a chance to further cement has become his season of redemption.
After taking a first pitch fastball for a strike, Lidge tried to go back inside once again, this time Rodriguez was ready for it, hammering it to left for a double giving the Yankees the lead. As he got to second, he clapped both hands in triumphed and pointed at his teammates. They had become a true “team” in every sense this season. You do not come back 54 times this season without having belief in each other that you can do it.
Much like in Game 5 of the Subway Series when Scott Brosius singled to left after Posada drew that walk and Luis Sojo hit a bouncing chopper up the middle for a championship-winning single to make it a three-peat and fourth title in five years. It had all started so innocently that year with a walk.
This year, it was Damon working an old-school classic Yankee at bat. Then stealing second and instinctually going to third. Lidge did his part by hitting Teixeira and then Rodriguez delivered a hit that people will remember forever.
Posada would then deliver a two-run double to left center to extend the lead to 7-4, but even that seemed inevitable. Lidge’s spirit was broken the at bat before and the Phillies team spirit was broken when Posada made it a three-run margin.
Knowing Mariano Rivera was set to pitch the bottom of the ninth, the defending world champions themselves were resigned to their fate. They had not scored off him in this series and trailing by three runs, they were not going to score off him now.
All it took was eight pitches to get those final three outs. It took nine pitches before Damon got the hit to start it all. Now the Yankees, one victory from their 27th world title are on the brink with a 3-1 series lead.
They have played like champions all year. Now, they are 27 defensive outs away from becoming champions.
PHILADELPHIA– Here the Yankees were, in a tie game in the top of the ninth inning in Citizens Bank Park, down to their final out and strike.
They had gambled and started CC Sabathia on three days rest and were successful. Joba Chamberlain was one strike away from pitching a dominant eighth inning and preserving a one-run lead before leaving a fastball to Pedro Feliz, a dead fastball hitter, who crushed it to left field to tie the game.
Now, the Yankees were finding themselves in a precarious situation. If they did not score in the ninth, they would go to the bottom half against the top of the Phillies order with Phil Coke and Phil Hughes, which is essence would have been a sure victory. This would have meant an even series, Cliff Lee starting in Game 5, and with the way he has pitched in the postseason, elimination would have been staring them in the face.
Here was Brad Lidge, the Phillies closer who was perfect all of last season, but anything but this season. He blew 11 saves this season and was nothing of a sure thing in this postseason. Lidge had not pitched a game in this series and here he was on the mound trying to keep the game tied and give his team a chance. Facing Hideki Matsui and Derek Jeter, he looked like the closer who was dominant and overpowering the season before, with both hitters not looking to have much of a chance against him. Matsui popped out to short and Jeter struck out swinging as the crowd was in a roar with their white towels waving.
In stepped Johnny Damon and he quickly feel behind two strikes. The inevitable appeared to be coming. Damon fouled a ball off, and then took two more balls out of the zone to bring the count full and then two more foul balls. Lidge seeming could not put Damon away. On the ninth pitch of the at bat, Damon singled to left center to give the Yankees life.
The at bat was reminiscent of three previous at bats in the Yankees past. Who can forget Wade Boggs drawing the bases loaded walk off Steve Avery in Game 4 in 1996? How about Paul O’Neill working Mets closer Armando Benitez for a 10-pitch one out walk in Game 1 of the 2000 World Series? Lastly, the lengthy at bat Jorge Posada put on Al Leiter in Game 5 of that series after the Mets left-hander had already struck out the first two and was up 0-2 on the count.
The baton was now carried to Mark Teixeira, who outside of his homerun in Game 2, had not shown up in the series. On a 1-0 pitch, Damon took off for second and stole the base. However, with the Phillies defense in an over shift on Teixeira, no one was covering third base. With presence of mind, Damon took off for third and made it there uncontested. It was the most stunning of plays.
With Damon on third, the ability of Lidge (known for his wild pitches) to use his slider was negated. Perhaps he was rattled by was unfolding around him as with the next offering after the stolen base, Teixeira was hit in the side with a pitch. This put runners on the corners with two out and brought Rodriguez to the plate.
It is amazing how a moment can just find you. For Rodriguez, this was it. He made himself known to the playoff world against the Twins and played on another planet against the Angels. He had struggled in the first two games against the Phillies, but in Game 3 completely altered the course of the game when he hit a two-run homer off the FOX camera in right, igniting an eventual five-run rally over two innings to chase Cole Hamels from the game. Here he was again with a chance to further cement has become his season of redemption.
After taking a first pitch fastball for a strike, Lidge tried to go back inside once again, this time Rodriguez was ready for it, hammering it to left for a double giving the Yankees the lead. As he got to second, he clapped both hands in triumphed and pointed at his teammates. They had become a true “team” in every sense this season. You do not come back 54 times this season without having belief in each other that you can do it.
Much like in Game 5 of the Subway Series when Scott Brosius singled to left after Posada drew that walk and Luis Sojo hit a bouncing chopper up the middle for a championship-winning single to make it a three-peat and fourth title in five years. It had all started so innocently that year with a walk.
This year, it was Damon working an old-school classic Yankee at bat. Then stealing second and instinctually going to third. Lidge did his part by hitting Teixeira and then Rodriguez delivered a hit that people will remember forever.
Posada would then deliver a two-run double to left center to extend the lead to 7-4, but even that seemed inevitable. Lidge’s spirit was broken the at bat before and the Phillies team spirit was broken when Posada made it a three-run margin.
Knowing Mariano Rivera was set to pitch the bottom of the ninth, the defending world champions themselves were resigned to their fate. They had not scored off him in this series and trailing by three runs, they were not going to score off him now.
All it took was eight pitches to get those final three outs. It took nine pitches before Damon got the hit to start it all. Now the Yankees, one victory from their 27th world title are on the brink with a 3-1 series lead.
They have played like champions all year. Now, they are 27 defensive outs away from becoming champions.
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