Zell's Pinstripe Blog

Yankees (10-4) vs. Phillies (9-5)

Pitching Matchup:

LHP Andy Pettitte (1-0, 6.00) vs RHP Pedro Martinez (0-1, 4.50)

Lineup

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

Game News & Notes (Courtesy of the LoHud Blog)

• Weather: Cloudy and cold, with temperatures in the low 40s and maybe even dropping into the 30s. Light winds. Rain unlikely until after midnight, if at all. Check out the full forecast here.
• Batter vs. Pitcher: Here are the Phillies vs. Andy Pettitte. And here are the Yankees vs. Pedro Martinez.
• The Yankees remain one win away from their 27th World Series title after the Phillies stayed alive with a win in Game 5. This is the first World Series to go six games since 2003 when … well, you know. Of the 60 previous teams that have held 3-2 leads in the World Series, 40 have gone on to win the series but only 23 did it in Game 6.
• This is only the second time in World Series history that a team has led 3-2 in the World Series after losing Game 1 and winning Game 2 at home, then winning Games 3 and 4 and losing Game 5 on the road. The only other team to do it was the 1935 Tigers, who – take a guess – beat the Cubs in Game 6 at home to win the World Series.
• If the Yankees win this World Series, they will have won two titles, been to the World Series two other times, lost in the ALCS once, lost in the first round four times and missed the playoffs once during the 2000’s. The Red Sox, who would be the closest competitor, will have won two titles, lost in the ALCS twice, lost in the first round twice and missed the playoffs four times.
• Andy Pettitte starts on three days rest tonight after allowing four runs in six innings and throwing 103 pitches in Game 3. Pettitte has made four previous postseason starts on three days rest, with varying success. They are: 2003 World Series: 8 1/3 innings, 1 R (unearned), 6 H; he threw 92 pitches in last start, 2000 ALDS: 3 2/3 IP, 5 R, 10 H; he threw 108 pitches in last start, 1997 ALDS: 6 2/3 IP, 4 R, 6 H; he pitched five innings in last start (pitch count unavailable), 1996 ALCS: 8 2/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H; he threw 121 pitches in last start
• A reporter jokingly asked Johnny Damon the other day about kidnapping Chase Utely, and Damon paused, as if considering the idea. Maybe the Yankees should. Utley has hit five home runs during the World Series, four of which have come off left-handed pitchers (three off CC Sabathia, one off Phil Coke). Overall, Utley is 4-for-7 with a double, 3 homers, and 6 RBI in the last two games.
• Alex Rodriguez has 18 RBI during the playoffs, fourth most all-time in any given postseason behind the record of 19, which is held by Sandy Alomar Jr., Scott Spiezio and David Ortiz. Of those 18 RBI, eight have tied the game or put the Yankees ahead.
• Johnny Damon is 6-for-9 with four runs scored in the last two games after going 2-for-12 in the first three. Jorge Posada has a hit in all five World Series games and each of his last eight World Series games going back to 2003. Hideki Matsui, who returns to the lineup tonight, is 5-of-his-last-9 with two home runs.

The game is taking place at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, NY. The game will start at 7:57PM 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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