INSIDER: A step closer to mission #27. 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.
ON THE MOUND:
Both CC and Blanton struggled through their first frame, with Blanton giving up two runs and CC allowing one.
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. Surprising move. 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.
In 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. 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.
In the bottom of the 7th, with the score still 4-2 Yankees, Chase Utley 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 wasn't a great start but he gave the Yanks a chance.
Damaso Marte came in and continued his fabolous postseason by getting Howard to fly out to left to end the inning. This October he's been this team's version of Graeme Lloyd in 1996.
Joba Chamberlain came into pitch the bottom 8th 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 was done.
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. Jimmy Rollins once against popped out in the infield. Apparently he is hard to hit JRoll!
THE OFFNESE:
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 monster 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.
The Yankees then came back. Nick Swisher started things off with a 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. Derek 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.
Phillies' reliever Ryan Madson threw a scoreless eighth.
Brad Lidge came into the game, and started off with two quick outs but then came an at-bat by Johnny Damon. 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.
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 A-Rod heroics Jorge Posada stepped up and drove the nail in the coffin with a huge two-run single into left-center.
INJURY STATUS: Melky Cabrera strained his left hamstring. The injury was noticed 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. Brett Gardner should take over for him.
The Yankees are now just one win away from World Series 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.
THE BOX SCORE:
ABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVGJeter, SS4121110.412Damon, LF5231011.294Teixeira, 1B4101014.071Rodriguez, A, 3B4111012.143Posada, C3013120.308Cano, 2B4010011.133Swisher, RF2100222.222Cabrera, Me, CF3110001.154Gardner, CF1000002.000Sabathia, P3000022.000Marte, D, P0000000.000Chamberlain, P0000000.000a-Matsui, H, PH1000000.500Rivera, Ma, P0000000.000Totals3479741115
a-Popped out for Chamberlain in the 9th.
BATTING
2B: Damon (2, Blanton), Rodriguez, A (1, Lidge).
TB: Jeter 2; Damon 4; Rodriguez, A 2; Posada; Cano; Cabrera, Me.
RBI: Teixeira (2), Posada 3 (5), Jeter (1), Damon (3), Rodriguez, A (3).
2-out RBI: Rodriguez, A; Posada 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano; Rodriguez, A; Gardner.
SF: Posada.
Team RISP: 4-for-11.
Team LOB: 7.
BASERUNNING
SB: Damon 2 (3, 2nd base off Lidge/Ruiz, 3rd base off Lidge/Ruiz).
FIELDING
E: Posada (1, missed catch).
IPHRERBBSOHRERASabathia6.27333613.29Marte, D (H, 1)0.10000000.00Chamberlain (BS, 1)(W, 1-0)1.01110314.50Rivera, Ma (S, 2)1.00000000.00
Pitches-strikes: Sabathia 107-67, Marte, D 4-3, Chamberlain 19-12, Rivera, Ma 8-6.
PHILLIES STATS
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Johnny Damon (3-for-5, 2B, RBI, 2 R, 2 SB)
GAME 5
Yankees @ PhilliesGame Time: 7:57 p.m. TV/Radio: FOX, WCBSRHP A.J. Burnett (1-0, 3.55) vs. LHP Cliff Lee (3-0, 0.54)(Pics from the The Canadian Press, AFP, AP, Getty Images )
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