The Yankees, who had scored just four
times in the first two games of the World Series, have taken a 6-4 lead over
the Phillies through six innings of a pivotal Game 3 of the World Series.
With the series knotted at a game apiece, Philadelphia jumped out to 3-0 lead
with a rally off Andy Pettitte in the second inning. However, New York got to
Cole Hamels over the middle innings to chase him from the game, which started
more than an hour late because of rain.
Hamels, who captured the MVP honors in the NLCS and World Series in 2008, had
struggled this postseason entering Saturday's game, posting a 6.75 ERA in
three starts. Initially he pitched well, holding the Yankees off the
scoreboard through three smooth innings, but New York got to him in the fourth
thanks to a video review.
Mark Teixeira walked with one away, and Alex Rodriguez followed with a blast
down the right field line. It was ruled a double at first, but the umpires
reviewed it and called it a home run, as replays showed the ball appeared to
hit off a camera at the wall.
That brought the Yankees within 3-2, and they grabbed the lead in the fifth,
which Nick Swisher began with a double just over third base. Two batters
later, Pettitte blooped a single to center to bring in a run.
Derek Jeter followed with another bloop single to center, and Johnny Damon
delivered with a double to the gap in right-center, making it a 5-3 New York
lead. Hamels walked Teixeira, who was his final batter, while J.A. Happ came
in and got the Phillies out of the inning.
However, Swisher, who was 4-for-35 this postseason entering Saturday's
contest, drilled a one-out solo homer to left off Happ in the sixth, making it
a 6-3 game.
The Phillies got that run back in the home sixth, as Jayson Werth hit his
second leadoff homer of the game, a monster shot to left.
Werth also homered to left to begin the second, when the Phillies jumped out
to a lead. Two batters later, Pedro Feliz blasted a fly ball to right-center
that fell for a double.
Pettitte then walked Carlos Ruiz, and the Phillies got a big break in the next
at-bat. Hamels went up to put down a bunt and placed one several feet off the
third-base line. However, there was an apparent communication error among New
York's fielders and no play was made, leaving the bases loaded with one away.
Pettitte got into a 3-0 count to Jimmy Rollins before eventually walking
him to force in a run. Shane Victorino followed with a sacrifice fly to
left for a 3-0 Phillies lead before Pettitte got Chase Utley looking at
strike three to end the threat.
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