Zell's Pinstripe Blog

Yankees (7-2) vs. Phillies (7-2)

Pitching Matchup:

LHP CC Sabathia (0-0, -.–) vs LHP Cliff Lee (0-0, -.–)

Lineup

Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Posada C
Matsui DH
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Cabrera CF

Game #1 Schedule of Events

4:50 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.  Yankees hit, 5:00 p.m.  Gates open to the public, 6:00 p.m. – 6:40 p.m.  Phillies hit, 7:30 – 7:55 p.m.  Pregame ceremonies, 7:55 p.m.  Yankees take the field, 7:57 p.m.  First pitch

and here is the umpiring crew for Game #1:

HP Gerry Davis, 1B Jeff Nelson, 2B Brian Gorman , 3B Mike Everitt, LF Dana DeMuth, RF Joe West

Game News & Notes (Courtesy of the LoHud Blog)

• WEATHER: Chilly and wet, with rain possible during the afternoon but (supposedly) tapering off tonight. We should get the game in, even if it’s not ideal conditions. Check out the forecast here.
• The Yankees have seven postseason wins down with four to go to reach their goal of claiming a 27th World Series title. They’re undefeated at home during the playoffs, having won two games at Yankee Stadium in the Division Series and three more in the ALCS. They are 33-13 in the 46 best-of-seven series in franchise history.
• BATTER VS. PITCHER: Here’s the Phillies vs. Sabathia. And here’s the Yankees vs. Lee.
• This marks just the second time in history, according to Elias Sports Bureau, that two former Cy Young award winners will face off in Game 1 of the World Series (Maddux vs. Hersheiser in 1995 was the other). Lee and Sabathia have already met once at Yankee Stadium this season, locking up on Opening Day when Lee was still with the Indians. The two are friends from their time together in Cleveland and had dinner at Sabathia’s house that night back in April. The Indians won that game, 10-2.
• The Yankees have hit 14 home runs already this postseason, just two shy of their franchise record of 16, which was set in 1996 (and tied in 2001 and 2003).
• If the Yankees win the World Series, they would be the third team to take the title in their first season in their current stadium (the 2006 Cardinals and 1912 Red Sox – wow Fenway is old – are the other two). By the way, the Yankees won the World Series in their first season at the original Yankee Stadium (1923) and made it to the World Seris – but lost to the Reds – in the first season of the remodeled Stadium (1976).
•  The Yankees have comeback wins in five of their seven postseason victories this year, including three in the seventh inning or later.
• A-Rod enters his first World Series batting .438 (14-for-32) in the postseason with five homers, 12 RBI and nine walks. He’s hit safely in all nine playoff games and 11 straight dating back to the 2007 ALDS. According to Elias, his three game-tying homers in the seventh inning or later are the most such homers for any player in a postseason.
• Kudos to WCBS’s Suzyn Waldman, who becomes the first woman radio announcer to call World Series action.
•  The pregame ceremony plans for Game 1 have retired Army Captain Tony Odierno joined on the mound by Yogi Berra, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Odierno is a West Point graduate who was awarded a bronze star with valor and a purple heart for his bravery.
• Former US Army Ranger Keni Thomas will perform the National Anthem. Sergeant First Class Kay Messenger will perform “God Bless America” in the seventh. Messenger, a West Point soloist, performed the national anthem at Yankee Stadium on Opening Day in 2007.

The game is taking place at Yankee Stadium int he Bronx, NY. The game will start at 7:57PM ET. Pre-game ceremonies will begin at 7:30PM ET. The game is being televised on FOX. The game can also be heard on the radio on WCBS 880 & ESPN Radio. Enjoy the game. Go Yankees!

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