Chase Utley clubbed a pair of homers,
tying a World Series record in the process, and Cliff Lee pitched into the
eighth inning, as the Philadelphia Phillies held off the New York Yankees,
8-6, to force Game 6 in the World Series.
New York's lead in the best-of-seven set was trimmed to 3-2 and the Yankees
are headed back to the Bronx to try and win an unprecedented 27th World Series
title. The next contest is Wednesday night with a possible seventh contest
Thursday.
Utley belted a three-run homer in the first inning off A.J. Burnett and then
delivered a solo blast off Phil Coke leading off the seventh. His five homers
in this set ties ex-Yankee Reggie Jackson for the most hit in one World
Series. Jackson accomplished the feat in 1977 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Phillies nearly wasted an 8-2 lead. Down 8-5 in the ninth, the Yankees put
men on first and third against Ryan Madson with no outs in the ninth inning,
but came away with just one run when Derek Jeter grounded into a double-play.
Johnny Damon then battled back from an 0-2 count and singled up the middle,
but Mark Teixeira struck out swinging to end the game as Madson barely earned
the save. Alex Rodriguez, who drove in three runs Monday, was left on deck.
Raul Ibanez knocked in two runs, including a mammoth 420-foot homer off Coke
in the seventh, as the Phillies kept their hopes intact of becoming the first
repeat champion in the National League since Cincinnati in 1975-76.
Lee (2-0), who sparkled with a complete-game win in the series opener, allowed
seven hits and five runs over seven-plus frames.
Burnett (1-1), the second straight Yankee to start on three days' rest, was
knocked out of the game with no outs in the third. He allowed four hits and
six runs, walked four and had a pair of strikeouts. It was a sharp contrast to
the Game 2 win for the righty, when he threw seven strong innings.
Rodriguez, who had the go-ahead hit with two outs in the ninth inning of a 7-4
victory Sunday night, has 18 RBI in this postseason, passing Bernie Williams
(1996) and Scott Brosius (1998) for the most by a Yankee in a single playoff
year. They each had 15.
Managers from both sides didn't announce a potential Game 6 starter prior to
Monday's game, but the Phillies are likely to pitch Pedro Martinez, while
New York could go back to Andy Pettitte on three days' rest.
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