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Phillies hang on: Philadelphia wins 8-6; N.Y. leads series 3-2
AP Photo
Chase Utley hits his second home run of the night, this one a solo shot against Phil Coke in the seventh inning.
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Published: November 3, 2009
PHILADELPHIA - Chase Utley hit two home runs to raise his World Series total to a record-tying five, backing Cliff Lee as the Philadelphia Phillies staved off World Series elimination with an 8-6 victory over the New york Yankees last night and set up Game 6.
Utley hit a three-run homer in the first inning off A.J. Burnett and added a solo shot in the seventh to join Reggie Jackson as the only players to hit five home runs in a single World Series.
Philadelphia won by replicating its winning formula from the opener, when Utley hit two solo homers and Lee pitched a six-hitter. Raul Ibanez set off fireworks from the Liberty Bell one last time, adding a solo shot in the seventh off Phil Coke that made it 8-2.
Lee gave up a run-scoring single to Alex Rodriguez in the first inning but settled in until Rodriguez chased him with a two-run double in the eighth. Robinson Cano drove in Rodriguez with a sacrifice fly, and New York gave Philadelphia a scare when Jorge Posada doubled and Hideki Matsui singled at the start of the ninth against Ryan Madson.
Derek Jeter hit into a run-scoring double play, Johnny Damon singled and Madson struck out slumping Mark Teixeira for the save.
The Yankees lead the Series 3-2 and will try to close out title No. 27 on Wednesday night at home. Game 3 winner Andy Pettitte is expected to come back on three days' rest and face Game 2 loser Pedro Martinez of the Phillies.
Burnett kept falling behind batters and allowed six runs, four hits and four walks in two-plus innings. In a matchup of starters from Arkansas, Lee allowed five runs and seven hits in seven-plus innings. He is 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five postseason starts.
Philadelphia ended baseball's record streak of five straight Series that ended in sweeps or five games, ensuring at least one more telecast in a matchup between big-market teams that has revived baseball's ratings. The Phillies still face a tall task: The Yankees lost three in a row just twice after the All-Star break and dropped consecutive home games only once after mid-June.
Just 37 of 43 teams with 3-1 Series deficits have gone on to win the title, including five in a row since Kansas City rallied past St. Louis in 1985.
But Pettitte and CC Sabathia, the Yankees' Game 7 starter, will be pitching on short rest -- Pettitte for the first time this year and Sabathia for the third time in the postseason.
New York, trying for its first title since 2000, still has strong memories from 2001, when the Yankees led Arizona three games to two before losing the final two games on the road. In 2003, the Yankees led Florida two games to one before losing three in a row.
Philadelphia received a scare when center fielder Shane Victorino was hit with a pitch while squaring to bunt in the first inning. Victorino repeatedly flexed his hand when he went to the outfield but remained in the game through seven innings.
New York scored in the first inning for the second straight game. Damon singled and came home when Rodriguez doubled into the right-field corner with two outs.
It took eight pitches for Burnett to give up the lead, giving Phillies fans reason to wave those white rally towels.
N.Y. ab r h bi Phila. ab r h bi
Jeter ss 5 0 1 0 Rollins ss 4 1 2 0
Damon lf 4 2 3 1 Victorn cf 3 1 0 0
Teixeir 1b 5 1 1 0 BFrncs cf 0 0 0 0
ARdrgz 3b 4 1 2 3 Utley 2b 3 3 2 4
Swisher rf 3 0 0 0 Howard 1b 2 1 0 0
Cano 2b 3 0 1 1 Werth rf 4 1 1 1
Gardnr cf 4 0 0 0 Ibanez lf 4 1 2 2
JMolin c 1 0 0 0 P.Feliz 3b 4 0 0 0
Posada ph-c 3 1 1 0 C.Ruiz c 4 0 1 1
ABrntt p 1 0 0 0 Cl.Lee p 3 0 1 0
DRrtsn p 0 0 0 0 Park p 0 0 0 0
Hinske ph 0 1 0 0 Stairs ph 1 0 0 0
Aceves p 0 0 0 0 Madson p 0 0 0 0
HrstnJr ph 1 0 0 0
Coke p 0 0 0 0
PHughs p 0 0 0 0
HMatsu ph 1 0 1 0
Totals 35 6 10 5 Totals 32 8 9 8
New York 100 010 031 -- 6
Philadelphia 303 000 20x -- 8
DP--New York 1, Philadelphia 1. LOB--New York 6, Philadelphia 5. 2B--Teixeira (1), A.Rodriguez 2 (3), Posada (1). HR--Utley 2 (5), Ibanez (1). SB--Utley (1). SF--Cano.
New York IP H R ER BB SO
A.Burnett L,1-1 2 4 6 6 4 2
D.Robertson 2 1 0 0 0 2
Aceves 2 1 0 0 0 1
Coke 2/3 2 2 2 0 1
P.Hughes 11/3 1 0 0 0 1
Philadelphia IP H R ER BB SO
Cl.Lee W,2-0 7 7 5 5 3 3
Park 1 0 0 0 0 0
Madson S,1-1 1 3 1 1 0 1
HBP--by A.Burnett (Victorino). WP--Aceves. T--3:26. A--46,178 (43,647).
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