Yankees 3B Alex Rodriquez clutch hit broke a 4-4 tie, helping New York defeat the host Philadelphia Phillies 7-4 Sunday night. The win gives the AL Champions a 3-1 series lead and they can clinch their 27th World Championship Monday night at Citizens Bank Park. After the defending world champions rallied twice to tie the game, Phillies closer Brad Lidge, who has had a tough season, allowed 3 runs in the 9th. NY scored 2 runs in the 1st on 2 outs(ground out, sacrifice fly) with the Phillies then scoring single runs in the 1st(2b Chase Utley rbi double) and 4th(3B Pedro Feliz run scoring single). Utley hit his 3rd homer of the series(all vs. Yankees ace CC Sabathia) in the 7th and Feliz crushed a Joba Chamberlain offering in the 8th to tie the score at 4.
Game Notes:
1- Told you so! When I looked over both teams I saw a fairly even match-up except in one area– closer. This reigned its ugly head Sunday night and killed the home team as the struggling Lidge lost the game and Yankees stud closer Mariano Rivera nailed it down. HUGE edge to the boys from the Bronx here.
2- Johnny Drama- Only the idiots who run the Boston Red Sox cannot see what a great offensive player this guy is. He is in the middle of everything positive the Yankees do offensively, while his at bat and base running in the 9th set the game winning rally in motion. A tremendous clutch player who is a winner and will make a ton of cash in this off-season. Red Sox fans, you should enjoy that 4.5 million a year GM Theo Epstein saved by not signing Damon and 1B Mark Teixeira.(BTW the #2 and #3 hitters on the best offense in recent memory) This is the same dope who is paying JD Drew and Dice K around 22+ million a year! Enjoy the off-season with that guy having money to spend!
3- Clueless Joe- Bad,Bad job bringing in Chamberlain in the 8th by Yankees skipper Joe Girardi. The flame thrower did not pitch many games in relief(1 regular season relief appearance, 9 in the post-season) and is put in a 1 run game? Bad managing. Regardless of the win, starting Sabathia on 3 days rest was a mistake. As Mike Francesca is saying on WFAN now, the Yankees should start Chad Gaudin vs Phillies ace Cliff Lee Monday, not A.J. Burnett on 3 days rest. The Yankees have 3 chances to win a game. With this move, Girardi is set to toss 4 pitchers in a row on short rest, a recipe for disaster.
4- The Chase- Glad to see the world see what a player the Phillies 2B Chase Utley is. As someone who makes a living covering the NY Mets, I see this guy almost 20 times a year. Easily the best 2B in the game and among the top 10 talents in all of the game.
