Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - Chase Utley clubbed a pair of homers, tying a World Series record in the process, and Cliff Lee pitched into the eighth inning, as the
Philadelphia Phillies held off the
New York Yankees, 8-6, to force Game 6 in the Fall Classic.
New York's lead in the best-of-seven set was trimmed to 3-2 and the Yankees are headed back to the Bronx to try and win an unprecedented 27th World Series title. The next contest is Wednesday night with a possible seventh game Thursday.
Utley belted a three-run homer in the first inning off A.J. Burnett and then delivered a solo blast off Phil Coke leading off the seventh. His five homers in this set ties ex-Yankee Reggie Jackson for the most hit in one World Series. Jackson accomplished the feat in 1977 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"Obviously it's great company. At some point, not right now, maybe I'll look back on it and see what kind of special moment it is," said Utley. "But right now our goal is to win two more games."
The defending World Series champions, trying to become the first National team to repeat since the 1975-76 Cincinnati Reds, nearly wasted an 8-2 lead. Down 8-5 in the ninth, the Yankees put men on first and third against Ryan Madson with no outs, but came away with just one run when Derek Jeter grounded into a double-play. Johnny Damon then battled back from an 0-2 count and singled up the middle, but Mark Teixeira struck out swinging to end the game as Madson barely earned his first career postseason save. Alex Rodriguez, who drove in three runs Monday, was left on deck.
Raul Ibanez knocked in two runs, including a mammoth 420-foot homer off Coke in the seventh.
Lee (2-0), who sparkled with a complete-game win in the series opener, allowed seven hits and five runs over seven-plus frames. He is 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five starts during these playoffs.
"Basically our backs were against the wall, a do-or-die situation," said Lee. "To go out there and give the team a chance, the offense scored plenty of runs to make things a little easier on me, and that was all good. But for me I've still got to try to put up zeroes and get deep into the game, and I did that and gave the team a chance. So it was a group effort and we're still fighting."
Burnett (1-1), the second straight Yankee to start on three days' rest, was knocked out of the game with no outs in the third. He allowed four hits and six runs, walked four and had a pair of strikeouts. It was a sharp contrast to the Game 2 win for the righty, when he threw seven strong innings.
Rodriguez, who had the go-ahead hit with two outs in the ninth inning of a 7-4 victory Sunday night, has 18 RBI in this postseason, passing Bernie Williams (1996) and Scott Brosius (1998) for the most by a Yankee in a single playoff year. They each had 15.
The Phillies will pitch Pedro Martinez Wednesday, while New York could go back to Andy Pettitte on three days' rest. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he would speak with Pettitte Tuesday after the off-day workout to determine his Game 6 starter.
"It's something we've talked about all throughout," said Girardi. "If he feels good he's going."
Pettitte is 4-6 with a 4.15 ERA in his career in 14 starts on three days' rest, last pitching in such a situation in 2006.
Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel remains confident in Martinez, who was the Game 2 starter and went six-plus innings in a 3-1 loss.
"Pedro's been ready. He's already been told," said Manuel. "I expect something similar to what we got the other night. He should go anywhere (between) six, seven innings in a game, maybe longer, depends on how many pitches he throws early."
Should the Phillies win Game 6 there has been a debate raging who they would throw in Game 7. The Yankees would presumably use CC Sabathia on three days' rest again, but fellow lefty Cole Hamels has struggled for Philadelphia. Lee said he'd be up to the task of getting some time on the mound for a possible Thursday game.
"I'll pitch whenever they want me to pitch," said Lee. "That's about as clear as I can say it. I'm ready whenever. I don't really get that sore, so I'll be ready to pitch whenever they want me to. If it's going to help the team win, I'm in."
After the Utley and Ibanez solo shots in the seventh off Coke, the Yankees started to rally while the crowd grew silent at Citizens Bank Park. Lee gave up an infield single to Damon, a double to Teixeira and then a two-run double to Rodriguez as the ball hit off the glove of Ibanez in left field.
Chan Ho Park retired Nick Swisher and then got Robinson Cano on a sacrifice fly to center before Brett Gardner popped out.
Then came the tenuous ninth when the first two hitters battled back from 0-2 counts - Jorge Posada with a double and then pinch-hitter Hideki Matsui with a single to left. Jeter then bounced into a 6-4-3 double play to kill a potential big inning for the Yankees, who are aiming for their first World Series title since 2000.
Rodriguez doubled in Damon in the top of the first inning, but Burnett got off to a shaky start in the bottom of the frame.
Jimmy Rollins hit a lead-off single to center. Shane Victorino squared to bunt, but went down in a heap after taking a ball off his right index finger. Utley then drilled a first-pitch fastball over the wall in right field.
X-rays taken on Victorino were negative, but his finger swelled and he was replaced after seven innings in center field.
The Phillies chased Burnett from the mound before the righty could record an out in the third. Utley and Ryan Howard walked before Jayson Werth singled up the middle for a 4-1 lead. A base hit to right from Ibanez extended the margin.
David Robertson entered in relief, but it became 6-1 when Carlos Ruiz was safe at first on a potential double-play ball.
The Yankees got a run back in the fifth when Eric Hinske scored on a Damon groundout, but Lee was able to limit the damage.
"He pitched well again," Jeter said of Lee. "We scored that run in the first and he was cruising along. He mixes it up. It's a tough assignment when you're facing him."
Gardner, who got the start in center field for an injured Melky Cabrera, made a catch while crashing into the wall on a ball hit by Werth in the bottom of the fifth. Gardner stayed in the game, but Cabrera was kept out due to a slightly strained left hamstring. The Yankees replaced Cabrera on the roster with backup infielder Ramiro Pena.
After the game, Manuel also responded to reports of former Phillies manager Larry Bowa, now the third-base coach of the Dodgers, saying Philadelphia has a reputation for stealing signs.
"I didn't know anything about it until about right before the game or something. I can tell you this, if I can steal signs, I will," said a chuckling Manuel. "I mean, if I can. That means we're definitely not. I don't know nothing about it. Usually I do. No, we're definitely not stealing. We don't have their signs and we're not stealing their signs. But we are trying."
Game Notes
Utley has homered seven times in the Fall Classic for his career to pass Billy Martin for the most lifetime Series homers by a second baseman...Howard continued to struggle, going 0-for-2 with a pair of walks and two strikeouts. He's 3-for-19 thus far and has fanned 12 times in this World Series. The 12 strikeouts ties Kansas City's Willie Wilson for the most in a single Fall Classic, done in 1980 against the Phillies, their last championship until they beat Tampa Bay last year...Damon, who had three hits Monday, is 6-for-9 over the last two games.
