Postgame
The 2009 season started on a cold Sunday night in Philadelphia and a 4-0 Phillies loss to Atlanta. The season ended on a cold November night in New York and a 7-3 Phillies loss in Game 6 of the World Series.
For Philadelphia, the title defense came to an end up in the Bronx. But Phillies fans can be proud of the season they've had to make it back to the series after what they've had to deal with this season, injuries and otherwise. Most of this team will be back next year, and there's no reason why they can't be back here again in 2010.
For New York, it's the end of a nine-year championship drought and finally, No. 27. The huge amounts of money poured into CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Teixeira delivered the desired result and finally, the billions poured into the roster in recent years produced a championship. This team will look somewhat different next year. Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, named the World Series MVP, have their contracts up after this season. But the key pieces, like Sabathia and Jeter and Rodriguez, will be back and there's no reason they can't be back here next year.
And with that, we conclude our live blogs here on Make Plays. Thanks for reading.
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Top 9
McCarver throws an interesting statistic out there. Yankees have led by four runs 204 times with Rivera in the game. They've lost once.
Stairs pinch-hits and hits a rocket to the upper deck foul. He then lines out to Jeter for the first out.
Ruiz up now with the crowd getting louder and walks. He's on base for the fourth time tonight. Definitely been the best Phillies hitter tonight.
Rollins has hit into two double plays already tonight. He's up and gives it a ride but Swisher gets it at the wall for the second out. Yankees are one out away.
Victorino up and swings at strike two as Ruiz takes second. Rivera needs one more strike...
Victorino fighting to the last strike as he fouls off a couple...
...but eventually grounds out to second to end the game and the series. Rivera mobbed at the mound as the Yankees win World Championship No. 27.
More to come in a bit.
Game Over. 7-3 Yankees. Yankees win series 4-1.
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Bot 8
A "Win It For George" sign shown on the broadcast. No sign of Mr. Steinbrenner yet, would be really interesting to see if he is here.
Feliz makes a fantastic play on a grounder by Swisher for the first out.
Gardner grounds out to second for the second out of the inning as Manuel probably makes the last Phillies pitching change of 2009, replacing Eyre with Ryan Madson.
Madson's in and is greeted with a single by Jeter. Hairston then pops out to Rollins to end the inning.
End 8. 7-3 Yankees.
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Top 8
Marte still in the game to face Howard and strikes him out on three pitches. Girardi comes out to the mound to take the ball and "Enter Sandman" starts blaring on the loudspeakers. Rivera'll need five outs to seal the series.
Final line on Marte: 0.2 innings, no runs, no hits, two strikeouts, six pitches.
Rivera comes into to face Werth with most of the stadium standing. Rivera strikes out Werth for the second out.
Ibanez up next. Apparently it's misting according to Joe Buck, who's using mist to make a metaphor about the copious amount of inclement weather during the postseason.
Ibanez bloops a double over the head of Gardner. Claps from the office while Rorabaugh cries "Why do you keep giving me hope?"
The double extends the inning for Feliz. He can't get the ball out of the infield as he pops out in foul territory to end the inning.
Mid 8. 7-3 Yankees.
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Bot 7
We're getting philosophical here in the office, with a debate about how this decade will be remembered. Unfortunately, it probably will be remembered in the annals of history by Survivor and a can of Chicken of the Sea tuna.
Park starts the inning with Teixeira as Rivera tosses the resin bag in the bullpen. Any doubt to who's pitching the last two innings?
Teixeira strikes out for the first out in the seventh.
Rodriguez up next and ducks from a pitch somewhat high and inside. Somewhat reminiscent, but not completely alike how Manny Ramirez ducked at an outside pitch that started that infamous brawl in the 2003 ALCS. Really surprised Fox hasn't shown Pedro throwing down Don Zimmer...really thought that would've been shown four times in the pregame alone.
Rodriguez hits a seeing-eye single to the left side and Manuel will make another change, bringing in Scott Eyre to face Matsui.
Matsui gets a standing ovation as he steps into the batters box accompanied by the "M-V-P" chant. Possibly his last at-bat as a Yankee? If it is, it's a strikeout in the dirt on a check swing. Two outs for Posada and he'll be intentionally walked to get to Cano.
Cano steps in as Fox does a celebrity scan. Cameras catch Jimmy Fallon, Donald Trump, Regis Philbin and Spike Lee among others.
Cano strikes out to end the inning.
End 7. 7-3 Yankees.
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Top 7
Last half inning Rorabaugh was wondering why there was so much commotion about Francisco and how good he really was (he's been quite the eager beaver tonight). Sports Copy Desk editor Eddie Gentile replied wondering why Rorabaugh would ask a question he already knew the answer too. Rorabaugh's point is proved when Francisco strikes out to start the inning.
Ruiz hits a single to center field. Still hope in the office.
Rollins hits into a fielder's choice at second. Ruiz retired at second and Rollins safe at first with two outs.
Victorino up next as Damaso Marte warms up. Rollins steals second and Chamberlain goes 3-0 on Victorino with Utley on deck. Marte really hustling as Victorino walks, putting two on with two outs. Utley up next and he'll face Marte out of the Yankee bullpen.
Debate among sports staff right now as to who is the Series MVP. If Utley does it again, it would be hard to ignore him.
Huge at bat right now, might be the series right here. Marte strikes him out on three pitches, the third on a check swing that could've gone either way. Inning over as Philadelphia misses a big opportunity.
Mid 7. 7-3 Yankees
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Bot 6
I said losing Damon could be a big loss for the Yankees...if it is, it hasn't showed yet.
Swisher walks as Fox promos its Sunday football, including its special two-hour pregame with the troops from Afghanistan. Great idea for the troops and good timing too because their games this week aren't that great. When you're pushing Lions-Seahawks as watchable television...
Gardner strikes out for the first out.
Jeter up and Manuel to the mound. It'll be Chan Ho Park to face Jeter.
Jeter faces Park and grounds to first. Howard throws to second to retire Swisher but Jeter reaches on the fielder's choice.
Hairston comes to the plate for the second time tonight as this game has grinded to a halt. Has the feeling of a Yankees-Red Sox game right now with the pitching changes.
Rorabaugh's a little down about his Phillies, so he's reading about the latest Dallas Cowboys drama. Says it picks him right up.
Hairston flies out to right to end the inning.
End 6. 7-3 Yankees.
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Top 6
Only the sixth inning and already Buck starting to prepare the crown. Meanwhile the Yankee fans are chanting Andy Pettitte's name as they are probably starting to count down the outs. Might be a little too early.
Victorino grounds out to start the inning.
Utley works a one-out walk. He's been the best Phillies position player in the series by far.
What did I say about it being too early? Howard finally arrives in the series with a two-run home run to left field. Phils fans in the office that were once silent now cheer, followed by "We're still in this," and "What took you so long?" 7-3 Yankees.
Werth strikes out looking for the second out as Joba Chamberlain warms up.
Ibanez lines a double down the right field line with two outs. Phillies trying to rally as Girardi walks out to the mound to make the move to Chamberlain. Pettitte gets pats on the head and a standing ovation from the crowd as he leaves. Another solid postseason outing for Pettitte.
If there's been a criticism of Girardi, it's that he's had a tendency to outthink himself sometimes. He brings in Chamberlain to face Feliz, who homered off him back in Game 4. He's preparing to bring Rivera in in the eighth.
No such luck for Feliz as he grounds out to third to end the inning.
Mid 6. 7-3 Yankees.
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Bot 5
Bottom of the fifth so the game's official. With that comes our first pitching change as Chad Durbin takes over for the Phils. Final line on Martinez: 4 innings, 4 earned runs, 3 hits, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts.
Jeter up first and just barely misses a home run. Instead lands on the warning track and hops over the wall for a ground-rule double.
Hairston has his first at-bat since entering the game. He's 2-for-8 in the postseason but he lays down a sacrifice bunt that moves Jeter over to third. One out for Teixeira as Hairston out at first.
Teixeira lines a single to right field. Jeter scores as the Yankee Stadium crowd can start to sense it. 5-1 Yankees.
Rodriguez up next and walks. Matsui coming up and Charlie Manuel is heading to the mound. This will be it for Durbin as J.A. Happ will come in.
Happ enters the game as Matsui gets a large hand at the plate. Making a strong case for World Series MVP in possibly and listening to Ken Rosenthal, probably his final game as a Yankee.
Matsui crushes a 3-1 pitch and just barely misses another home run, instead hitting a double that hops over the outfielders' heads on the rebound. Both runs score and Matsui drives in his fifth and sixth runs of the night. 7-1 Yankees.
Posada strikes out swinging for the second out of the inning.
Cano up now and strikes out to end the inning.
End 5. 7-1 Yankees.
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Top 5
Almost half way through the game. No contribution from Audrey Snyder yet. We'll keep you posted.
Francisco strikes out looking at a beautiful pitch as Copy Desk starting to get frustrated.
Ruiz up for the Phils and earns a walk. He's been the best Phils batter by far.
Finally a contribution from Snyder via text message. As a Braves fan, she's enjoying this. No slams against me so I'll take it.
Rollins grounds into a double play to end the inning.
Mid 5. 4-1 Yankees.
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Bot 4
Band Hero commercial airs again and Rorabaugh starts the debate again. Tensions are wearing thin.
Cano leads off the inning and flies out to the warning track in left. Footage of Pettitte having a heated argument with the umpire last inning airs. Microcosm of the postseason right there.
Swisher up for the Yankees. Newly re-elected Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg in attendance and behind home plate. Live shot of former mayor Rudy Guiliani can't be far behind. And there he is in a shot of Gardner in the on-deck circle. Swisher strikes out.
Gardner lines out to second to end the inning.
End 4. 4-1 Yankees.
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Top 4
Big surprise in the top of the inning as Jerry Hairston Jr. is in the game in left field. Apparently Damon got hurt running the bases the last inning. Big loss for New York...
Utley leads off the inning for Philadelphia. Joe Buck is reporting it's a pulled calf for Damon as Utley strikes out.
Howard steps up next. He's one strikeout away from setting the record for Ks in a World Series. Girardi better be careful. He's already talking about how many innings he can use Mariano Rivera tonight. Howard lines out to Cano.
Werth now up and earns a walk. Second time Werth has walked tonight.
Ibanez now up. Philadelphia needs a spark right now before the innings start becoming their enemy. Maybe a break as Posada can't handle a pitch and Werth advances to second on the passed ball and Ibanez walks. First and second with two outs for Feliz.
He works the count to 1-1. Just that Feliz didn't swing at the first pitch is a complete antithesis of his M.O.
Feliz finally swings and grounds out to first to end the inning.
Mid 4. 4-1 Yankees.
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Bot 3
Just think. In the next two days, it'll be 2010 before we see a baseball video set to "Boys of Summer" again. Getting nostalgic...
Gardner swings at the 86 mile per hour heat and strikes out
Jeter steps in and Fox addresses the Post front page and the accompanying poster as Jeter drops a single in front of Victorino
Fox is all over the place. They just went from a graphic of Jeter's postseason hits to a shot of Harry Kalas' memorial patch of the Phils' uni, followed by a shot of his blue sportscoat and white shoes hanging in the dugout. Now they're showing blimp images of the old Yankee Stadium (in the dark, with no lights on) as Damon's having another lengthy at-bat.
Damon works a walk on Pedro's 50th pitch of the night. Teixeira up next as Rich Dubee goes for the bullpen hotline in the dugout.
Teixeira gets hit on the first pitch of the at-bat. The office is calling for the hook right now as Rodriguez steps up with the bases loaded. Dubee makes a trip to the mound as J.A. Happ gets loose.
Fox shows two banners at the park, apparently the Yankees don't have a problem with signs like a Washington D.C. NFL team does.
Rodriguez steps in and strikes out looking on three pitches. Big out for Pedro.
Matsui steps in and lines a single to center field. Two runs score and Teixeira stops at second. Matsui has driven in all four runs for the Yankees. 4-1 Yankees.
Posada flies out to left to end the inning.
End 3. 4-1 Yankees
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Top 3
Just saw the Band Hero commercial with Taylor Swift. Rorabaugh (a devout Guitar Hero and Rock Band player) is completely confused, asking what's the difference between Band Hero and Guitar Hero with instruments.
Francisco grounds out to third for the first out of the inning.
Now Ruiz (or Senor Octubre or Chooch or as McCarver calls him, Rues) steps up and crushes it to left center. It hits the ledge of the wall and bounces past Gardner as Ruiz pulls into third with a triple.
Rollins up with a runner in scoring position and less than two outs. They've struggled in this situation all year, but Rollins hits a sacrifice fly to right that gets the job done and scores Ruiz. 2-1 Yankees.
Victorino flies out to right to end the inning.
Mid 3. 2-1 Yankees.
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Bot 2
It's the bottom of the second and Tim McCarver hasn't had one of his Captain Obvious moments yet. Don't worry, it's gonna happen.
Rodriguez is up first, continuing his October Redemption tour. The Phillies have stopped hitting him, instead Martinez walks him on four pitches.
Matsui's up next and he's having one of those Yankee at-bats. He works the count full on a close 2-2 pitch. Rorabaugh wants the pitch and begins to contest the call. Then he sees the replay.
Matsui cashes in, launching a pitch into the second deck in right field for a two-run homer. The Phillies' pitchers not being able to finish off hitters has hurt them in this series. 2-0 Yankees.
Yankee Stadium is buzzing as Posada is up next. For a moment, it feels like they're back across the street at a stadium that doesn't separate ultra-expensive and uber-expensive seats with a concrete moat. Posada strikes out for the first out of the inning.
Cano makes his best contact of this season but lines out to Utley.
Swisher's up next and he continues to struggle, flying out to Francisco to end the inning.
End 2. 2-0 Yankees.
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Top 2
Glad to see Fox has worked out their production issues. Another night, another abrupt return to action from commercial just before the first pitch.
Sports Copy Desk Chief Dan Rorabaugh thinks Howard's series' struggles might be linked to his playoff beard.He grounds out to first to start the inning, so he continues to struggle. But hey, Phillies' fans, at least he put the ball in play.
Werth's up next and Pettitte is looking like vintage Pettitte so far. It would be complete if he picks someone off first before the night's done. Of course, as I type this, Werth earns a walk.
Ibanez swings at the first pitch and shatters his bat, the barrel going almost as far as the ball does as he flies out to shallow right. Rorabaugh went "Blamo!" when Ibanez hit it. I think he meant the ball, but the bat proves him right.
Feliz is up next. Pettitte throws a few times to first, trying to keep Werth close. This backfires, however, when he throws in the dirt and Werth goes to second on the wild pitch. Feliz pops up to Posada to end the inning, so the wild pitch doesn't hurt him.
Mid 2. No score.
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Bot 1
Martinez steps to the mound and Fox quickly cuts to a large "Who's Your Daddy" banner. Won't be long before the chants start.
Jeter makes good contact but he lines out to Francisco for the first out.
Now it's Damon, who's had the at-bat of the series to this point. But Martinez gets him to strike out.
Since I mentioned the NY Daily News' back cover, the NY Post's back cover had a picture of Teixeira with the headline "Earn Your Stripes." For a reference point, the front cover was Pedro's head photoshopped onto a baby's body.
Teixeira doesn't help his cause by flying out to right to end the inning.
End 1. No score.
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Starting Lineups
Phillies
Jimmy Rollins - SS
Shane Victorino - CF
Chase Utley - 2B
Ryan Howard - 1B
Jayson Werth - RF
Raul Ibanez - DH
Pedro Feliz - 3B
Ben Francisco - LF
Carlos Ruiz - C
Yankees
Derek Jeter - SS
Johnny Damon - LF
Mark Teixeira - 1B
Alex Rodriguez - 3B
Hideki Matsui - DH
Jorge Posada - C
Robinson Cano - 2B
Nick Swisher - RF
Brett Gardner - CF
Top 1
Pettitte looks to be on as he gets Rollins to ground out to first to start the game.
Victorino is starting for the Phils and gets an infield single. His hand may be hurting, but his legs are still fine.
Now it's the man Yankee fans are seeing in their nightmares - Chase Utley. But if there's anyone who can neutralize him, it's Pettitte, who's made a career off of down-and-away. And sure enough he gets Utley to ground into a double play to end the inning.
Mid 1. No score.
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Hello Baseball Fans,
Icers reporter Tom Copain back again to bring you Game 6 of the World Series. You can go ahead and run for the hills or a TV with sound now.
For those who have stayed, I thank you. It should be a great game in what's already been one of the better series in a while. For the Yankees, it's the second opportunity to clinch their 27th World Championship and they have possibly their best big game pitcher on the mound tonight in Andy Pettitte. The lefthanded pride of Baton Rouge, La., is 17-9 with a 3.88 ERA in the postseason and has won both series clinchers for the Yankees this postseason.
The Phillies try to fight off elimination and hold their championship throne for at least one more night. They'll counter with Pedro Martinez, who is 0-1 but has a sparkling 2.08 ERA this postseason. In Game 2 of the World Series, Martinez pitched six strong innings, allowing three runs on six hits while striking out eight. It's absolutely amazing that in their long postseason histories and those epic Yankee-Red Sox playoff series, that Pettitte and Martinez will face each other for the first time in the postseason.
The Phillies are playing with desperation, but the Yankees have all the pressure heaped on them. They're leading the series, they have the chance to win it at home for the first time since 1999 and their first championship since 2000. Not to mention this will be the biggest test to date of Joe Girardi's three-man rotation experiment.
The phrase that says it all was the headline on the back page of the NY Daily News this morning. It's a picture of Girardi with the phrase "You'd Better Be Right". I'm going to go out on a limb and say if they lose tonight, there will be outright panic tomorrow morning.
Starting lineups and first pitch coming up.
