November 2nd, 2009
World Series, Game 5
New York Yankees at Philadelphia
Phillies
Citizens Bank Ballpark, Philadelphia
Well,
I didn’t have much of a choice on this one as the game we will look at is the
only MLB game to have ever been played on November 2nd. So let’s get
to it.
The
Philadelphia Phillies were the defending World Series champions having defeated
the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2008 World Series in five games. The Yankees were
looking for their first championship in nine years despite throwing hundreds of
millions of dollars around in attempt to buy another championship. Thus far, it
had not worked.
After
the Phillies took the first game by a score of 6-1, the Yankees responded by
winning three consecutive games (the scores were 3-1, 8-5 and 7-4) and now had
a chance to wrap up their 27th World Series title. A.J. Burnett
would get the start for the Yanks while the Phils would counter with Cliff Lee.
The
Yankees would score in the top of the first when Alex Rodriguez doubled in
Johnny Damon with two outs. But the Phillies would respond in a big way in
their first trip to the plate. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins singled. Centre fielder
Shane Victorino was hit by a pitch. Then second baseman Chase Utley connected
for a three-run home run to give Philly a 3-1 lead.
They
would add three more runs in the bottom of the third. RBI singles by
outfielders Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez, and an RBI ground out by catcher
Carlos Ruiz would increase the Phils lead to 6-1. Burnett was knocked out of
the game after the Ibanez single.
The
Yankees scratched a run back in the fifth when a ground out by Damon scored
Eric Hinske, but a pair of solo home runs (by Utley and Ibanez) increased the
lead to 8-2. It was turning into a laugher and it looked safe to assume the
Series was headed back to the Bronx.
A
double by A-Rod in the top of the eighth scored Damon and Mark Teixeira, and
then A-Rod scored on a sac fly by Robinson Cano, to close the gap to 8-5. Then
the Yanks put together another threat in the top of the ninth when they had
runners on first and third and none out. But Derek Jeter grounded into a double
play and although one run scored, the threat was over.
Phillies’
closer Ryan Madson struck out Teixeira to end the game and the Phils were back
in the Series. But the momentum didn’t last long as the Yanks rebounded to take
the sixth game by a 7-3 score.
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