Yankees 6-8 Phillies

World Series Game 5

Starting streaky AJ Burnett was a roll of the dice. In the case of the Yankees, it was a bad one.

Hoping for a Game 2 repeat from Burnett albeit a 3-day rest, Yankees manager Joe Girardi dismissed starting lossless SP Chad Gaudin and favored #2 starter Burnett. However, after allowing 3 runs in the 1st inning and bleeding for an out in the second and third, his hopes to clinch the title for the Yankees faded as quickly as (2008 version) Cole Hamels' change-up.

Right off the bat, AJ proved that his command of the ball was not there. Burnett made a costly mistake to 2B Chase Utley who turned on the pitch and belted a 3-run homer out of a peculiarly short porch in right field. (It really is a hitter's park out there.) Previous batters SS Jimmy Rollins and CF Shane Victorino also reached base. Rollins singled to center, while Victorino got caught on the wrist with a pitch inside. After an uneventful second inning, things started to unravel for Burnett in the 3rd. After walking Utley and 1B Ryan Howard, who has been a near-automatic out as of late, he allowed the next two batters, Werth and Ibanez, to drive the Phillies in for another two runs. That was enough carnage for Girardi who called on RHP David Robertson to relieve Burnett. C Carlos Ruiz grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Jayson Werth. And, the third inning ended with the Phillies on top 6-1.

SP Cliff Lee didn't look as sharp as he was in Game 1, but was sharp enough to deliver the goods. He allowed the Yankees to climb to 4-6 before he was pulled out. LHP Phil Coke, who had a perfect ERA in the postseason, allowed two key HRs that proved to be the difference in the final box score. The Yankees threatened in the ninth by scoring two more to make it 6-8. But, SS Derek Jeter failed to contribute to the rally as he cleared the bases of runners with a double-play ground out. LF Johnny Damon restarted the offense with 2 outs by squeaking out a single after a long battle with SU Ryan Madson. However, the still-scuffling 1B Mark Teixeira again fails to convert under pressure, striking out on an off-speed pitch that was inches from the dirt. 

In spite of the 3-day rest going bust today, Joe Girardi will still go to 37-year-old lefty Andy Pettite to clinch the World Series as the teams travel to New York for Games 6 and 7 (if necessary). It can be expected that, despite Pettite being a notch lower on the starting rotation, Andy would fare better than AJ in these kinds of postseason games. He seems to find a way to win, whether he's as sharp as a razor or not. New York should treat this as a must-win situation because CC has shown a little bit of vulnerability in Game 4. A Game 7 against any Philly pitcher other than Hamels would be a game too close to call even with CC on the mound. And, that being said, Andy might just be the man to giftwrap this one up.

The question that's on everyone's mind (or in my mind, at least): Is a 70% Andy Pettite good enough to start? And, despite Rick Sutcliffe bashing the idea to the ground until it looks like fresh roadkill on a summer day, I trust Pettite to deliver. Yes, expect him to give up 3 or 4 runs. But, as the Yankees have proved time and again, 3 or 4 runs are chicken feed. They have shown the ability to rack up runs in a hurry and produce late-inning hits whenever necessary (except tonight, of course). I personally think that, despite the loss, it was good that they managed to shag 6 runs in a high-scoring affair. That ought to salvage a little bit of  the momentum that has shifted to the Phillies' side. All Pettite and the bullpen (a shout-out to you, Phil Coke, for giving up those 2 differential runs) have to do is to take care of the lead or, on the flipside, keep the Yankees in the ballgame. As for the Phillies, they better hope that Pedro Martinez's age catches up to him at another day. If Pedro makes even one mistake, shows fatigue, or doubts his stuff, the Yankees hitters are gonna eat him alive, whether they be his "daddy" or not.

Game 6 is gonna be loads of fun. You have two pitchers who have seen better days but feel like they could have some more. You've got a locked-in, back-against-the wall Chase Utley. You've got 2 struggling first basemen who could catch wildfire mighty quick (Has Ryan Howard broken the record for most  whiffs in a World Series?). Home-run bats in Rodriguez, Werth, Ibanez, Matsui and Posada. And, for every Yankees fan, there's Derek Jeter, whose mere presence provides an Achilles-like influence that could rally a team after losing what could have been a World Series-clinching Game 5.

It ain't gonna be a walk in the park for anybody. Not for the Phillies. Not for the Yankees.

But, the park aint gonna be any ordinary park. It's Yankee Stadium. THE Yankee Stadium.

And, cross your fingers, that may just be the needed one-up for New York.