Postgame
The Yankees take control of the series after they win the way they've won in the past, with key hits and gritty at-bats. The Phillies, on the other hand, lost the way they've lost a few times in 2009 -- with Brad Lidge imploding in the ninth inning, with two outs and no one on.
Johnny Damon was the star of the night, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored. His single in the ninth inning at the end of a nine-pitch at-bat started the Yankee rally, and his two stolen bases on one play might go down as another moment in Pinstripes postseason lore and another Philadelphia postseason nightmare.
If there's any solace for Phillies' fans, it's that the one man they would want out there in a must-win situation in 2009, Cliff Lee, will be on the mound Monday night for Game 5 against Burnett on short rest. The hope for the Phillies has to be that Lee can pull off the type of performance Curt Schilling did in Game 5 of the 1993 World Series when the Phils faced elimination. But then again, Phillies' fans remember all too well how that ended.
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Bot 9
If this was New York, Metallica's "Enter Sandman" would be playing. That means Mariano Rivera is in to pitch the bottom of the ninth for the Yankees. Matt Stairs will pinch-hit to lead-off the inning, followed by Rollins and Victorino.
Stairs - grounds out softly to first for the first out of the inning.
Rollins - pops out to Teixeira
Victorino - grounds out to Teixeira to end the game.
Yankees win 7-4.
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Top 9
Joba Chamberlain has that look he had after the Attack of the Midges in Cleveland in Game 2 of the 2007 ALDS. That series didn't turn out well for the Yankees. But Phillies fans might have that same feeling as Brad Lidge is on to pitch the ninth.
Matsui - pops out to short for the first out
Rorabaugh says Fox has been sitting on this information since the series started. They're definitely unloading it now. Meanwhile Oplinger has a novel idea thanks to Lidge's nickname, "Lights Out Lidge". Just like the Penn State Football players ring the Victory Bell after a win, Lidge can turn out the lights out at Citizens Bank Park after a save.
Jeter - strikes out swinging on that signature slider in the dirt. Meanwhile Rorabaugh just made the same sound Howard Dean did during that 2004 campaign speech.
Damon - having one of those long at-bats that never seem to turn out well for the pitcher. It holds true as Damon singles on the ninth pitch of the at-bat.
Damon steals second, and then keeps going with Feliz covering second. Damon ends up at third with two out and Rivera now firing bullets in the bullpen to get ready if need be. Officially scored as two stolen bases.
Teixeira - gets hit by the pitch. Runners at the corners with two outs and A-Rod now up.
Rodriguez - lines a double to left field. Damon scores and Teixeira holds up at third. Rodriguez comes up with another clutch hit in this postseason. 5-4 Yankees.
Posada - lines a basehit to the gap in left-center. Posada is thrown out at second to end the inning but not before both runs score to give New York two important insurance runs.
Mid 9. 7-4 Yankees.
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Bot 8
Slow-motion cameras and dramatic music make anything exciting. Even a Girardi-Charlie Manuel pre-game handshake.
Werth - strikes out with a high fastball for the first out. Phil Hughes and Phil Coke warming up in the bullpen for the Yankees. I said Girardi would do it.
Ibanez - strikes out swinging on a 96 mile-per-hour fastball.
Girardi decided to make it Chamberlain's inning. He's looking like a genius now as the Phillies have barely made contact with his fastball. Or any of his pitches, for that matter.
Feliz - finally makes contact with a fastball and hits a towering home run to left field. Chamberlain knew it as soon as Feliz hit it. My bet is the NY Post and the NY Daily News are already chomping at the bit to dig into Girardi. 4-4.
Ruiz - strikes out to end the inning.
End 8. 4-4.
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Top 8
Madson is the new pitcher for the Phillies. Interesting decision for Girardi coming up in the bottom of the inning as the Phils have righty-lefty-righty (Werth-Ibanez-Feliz) up in the bottom of the inning. We'll see how he plays it.
Madson gives Rodriguez his seventh strikeout of the series. One out.
Chamberlain is the only pitcher the cameras show throwing in the bullpen. Looks like it will be his inning.
Posada - walks
Cano - a pop fly that neither Rollins, Feliz or Ibanez can get. Two on with one out for Swisher.
Swisher- strikes out looking again. This time he smiles as he walks to the dugout.
Gardner- gets his first at-bat of the game and pops out to short to end the inning.
Mid 8. 4-3 Yankees
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Bot 7
We're an hour and 14 minutes away from getting to Nov. 2. Someone please want to explain to me why the World Series is voluntarily being played in November?
Sabathia still in the game but Damaso Marte is warming up, meaning Joe Girardi using every possible arm in the bullpen except for the aforementioned Gaudin looms on the horizon. Meanwhile, Ryan Madson warming up for Philadelphia as Rollins grounds out to third.
Victorino - makes good contact on a line drive that's right to Swisher for the second out.
Decision time for Girardi as Utley's up with Howard on deck. Marte looks ready but Girardi stays with Sabathia. Now Joba Chamberlain is getting loose. Perhaps all these pitchers won't even get in the game; they'll just get loose until the ninth inning when Girardi doesn't use any of them and turns to Mariano Rivera.
Utley - makes Girardi rethink his decision with a monster home run to right field. Rorabaugh stands up, proclaims, "We are not dead yet!" and then hums the famous guitar riff from Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" -- Utley's entrance music. 4-3 Yankees.
Girardi finally decides to take the ball from Sabathia. Strong outing for him, but you can bet if the Yankees lose this game, the New York tabloids will be calling for Girardi's head for mismanaging the bullpen again. Marte will come in to face Howard.
Howard - drives one to left but Damon makes the play to end the inning.
End 7. 4-3 Yankees.
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Top 7
Chan Ho Park is now on the mound for the Phillies as we get our first pitching change of the night. Fox also tells us that Sabathia has faced Park before. Wait, that's actually an interesting fact. Doesn't matter as Sabathia flies out to Werth.
Jeter - the anti-Yankee chants are there, but they're certainly not as audible as Jeter walks.
Damon - strikes out swinging for the second out. Lot of strikeouts on a lot of bad pitches tonight.
Teixeira - grounds out to first to get us to the stretch.
Mid 7. 4-2 Yankees.
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Bot 6
Cabrera apparently pulled up lame running to first for that final out of the inning. Brett Gardner comes into the game to play center field and bat eighth.
Ibanez - strikes out on three pitches.
Fox cuts to a shot inside the broadcast booth between batters and it appears that Buck and McCarver are wearing matching suits and dress shirts. Interesting.
Feliz - singles to right field.
Ruiz - Ben Francisco is in the on-deck circle so Blanton is done for the night as Ruiz grounds out to second. Feliz advances to second on the fielder's choice.
Francisco - hits one to center that hangs in the air before Gardner brings it in to end the inning.
End 6. 4-2 Yankees.
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Top 6
The eye race would usually take place at this point at the Spikes game. I tried to get Rorabaugh and Sports Copy Desk Editor Dave Rung to do a mini-eye race in the office, no go. Ah, who are we kidding, the way the season went, Iris would've won in a landslide anyway.
Posada - strikes out swinging
Direct quote from Buck: "Hey look, it's raining." Not the best play-by-play man in the business for nothing folks.
Cano - hard hit to Howard, who flips to Blanton covering first for the out
Swisher - walks
Cabrera - hits a broken-bat grounder to Howard, who flips to Blanton to end the inning
Mid 6. 4-2 Yankees
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Bot 5
Yankees made it official earlier today that Burnett will pitch on short rest tomorrow in Game 5. Sabathia has shown he can come through on short rest. Burnett....but then again, it's either him or perennial Cy Young favorite Chad Gaudin, he of the 6-10 record and 4.64 ERA in the regular season
Rollins - leadoff single
Victorino - walks on five pitches. First and second with nobody out as the Phils fans come alive and "Kashmir" blares on the loudspeaker.
Utley - pops up to short for a big first out
Howard - also pops up to short for the second out
Werth - strikes out swinging to end the inning. Sabathia pitches out of trouble
End 5. 4-2 Yankees
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Top 5
No baseball live blog at the Collegian would be complete without a contribution from Audrey Snyder. She's not here at the office, but I did get a text message from her. No rails on me, but she did in no uncertain terms briefly mention her slight disliking for Brett Favre (she's a Packer fan).
Swisher - walks
Cabrera - hits a grounder to second. Utley makes the stop and tries a backhand flip out of his glove. Good idea in theory. In practice ... the ball goes straight up and everybody's safe. First and second, nobody out.
Sabathia - can't get the bunt down and fouls strike three on the bunt attempt. Blanton gets a huge out and keeps the runners at first and second
Jeter - Mr. November steps in eight years to the date after he earned that moniker and to his M.O., grounds a single underneath a diving Rollins. Swisher scores from second as Ibanez' throw is wide and late. 3-2 Yankees.
Damon - softly lines a single to right field between Utley and Werth. Cabrera scores from second as Werth's throw sails on him. Once again, the Phils' starter hitting the proverbial wall in the fifth as Chad Durbin gets loose. 4-2 Yankees
Teixeira - flies out to left
Rodriguez - Blanton catches a break as Rodriguez flies out to center
Mid 5. 4-2 Yankees
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Bot 4
Want to know what happens at Sports Copy Desk? Rorabaugh and I just discussed how disappointed we'll be with the Sherlock Holmes movie coming out. There's your glimpse inside the looking glass. Hope you learned something.
Howard - lines a single to center field
Werth - Howard takes off for second and had so much momentum he runs through the bag, eliciting a big cheer from Rorabaugh. Don't know what's more surprising: Howard stealing second or Werth giving him the stop sign from home? Werth grounds out to third
Ibanez - softly flies out to right
Feliz - lines a single to left field. Howard chugs around third and barrels through Posada, jarring the ball loose. He's called safe even though he never even touches the bag. No replays or reporting that Howard went back to touch it, so I'm sure this will be talked about tomorrow if the Phillies win. 2-2
Ruiz - intentionally walked to get to Blanton
Blanton strikes out to end the inning
End 4. 2-2
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Top 4
The Gillette commercial of Jeter flying into the stands in 2004 with Yankees radio play-by-play announcer John Sterling's call airs before Fox barely comes back before the first pitch again. Hearing Sterling's voice definitely makes me homesick, especially when he credits Hideki Matsui homeruns to Rodriguez. Memories.
Speaking of Rodriguez, he flies out to left
Posada - strikes out looking as another player disputes a called strike.
Cano - strikes out on a pitch in the dirt to end the inning
Mid 4. 2-1 Yankees
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Bot 3
Fox gets back from break abruptly just before Rollins gets his first pitch. More great work.
Rollins isn't up there long as he flies out to Damon
Victorino - at least there's displeasure with the strike zone on both sides as Victorino is upset with a 2-1 high fastball called a strike. But then again, FoxTrax says it a strike so how could he be angry. Victorino grounds out to first anyway so the point is moot.
Utley - gets jammed and pops out to second to end the inning.
End 3. 2-1 Yankees.
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Top 3
Jeter - grounds out to third on a diving stop by Feliz. That will probably be the highest level Buck raises his voice to all night.
Damon - flies out to right
Buck acknowledges Pearl Jam was last night. About an inning late to that party...
Teixeira - strikes out to end the inning. Fox's camera's do a nice job of showing Teixeira's displeasure with the call as Fox plays what sounds like Pearl Jam as they go to break. How clever.
Mid 3. 2-1 Yankees.
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Bot 2nd
Sabathia steps off the mound before he throws the first pitch to Feliz. Now those are boos.
Feliz - flies out to right as Assistant Sports Copy Desk Chief Mike Oplinger sings "Come on, Pete Happy." Obviously the song doesn't work.
Ruiz - waiting for Tim McCarver to pronounce his name "Rues". If it doesn't happen now, don't worry. It will.
Ruiz gets a called first strike on a 3-and-0 count and has to take that walk back to the batters box. You know what's coming ... a groundout to short, that's what.
Blanton - haven't mentioned the Home Run from last year yet on the telecast. I type that as Blanton check-swings a third strike in the dirt to end the inning.
End 2nd. 2-1 Yankees.
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Top 2nd
Play-by-play announcer Joe Buck hashes up the New York-Philadelphia Super Sports Day and also says the last event at the Spectrum is tonight. Uh Joe, the last event at the Spectrum was the Pearl Jam concert last night.
Swisher - strikes out looking.
Cabrera - flies out to left. And no, those aren't boos. Those are Raauuullls.
Sabathia - strikes out looking.
Mid 2nd. 2-1 Yankees
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Bot 1st
Quote from Collegian women's soccer/men's basketball reporter Andrew Robinson: "Cole Hamels can't get out of the fifth inning, but he has enough time to do a New Era (cap company) commercial."
Rollins - not surprisingly puts the second pitch he sees into play and flies out to right.
Victorino - continues to be a thorn in Sabathia's side as he bloops a hit in front of a sliding Damon. Victorino pulls into second as Damon takes a ball to the noggin for the second time in less than 20 minutes.
Utley - Fox flashes back to Game 1 and Utley's two homers. Pretty sure the only place other than Yankee Stadium that the first one is a homer is Citizens Bank Park.
Utley does it again -- just barely misses another homer as he hits a double off the wall in right-center that scores Victorino. 2-1 Yankees
Howard - Sabathia goes 3-and-1 on Howard. In the wise words of Harry Doyle, "How can these guys lay off pitches that close?"
Howard strikes out on a breaking ball in the dirt. A singular Yankees fan claps in the newsroom as Sports Copy Desk Chief Dan Rorabaugh groans.
Werth - Girardi makes the first of what will probably be many trips to the mound to talk to Sabathia about Werth, who homered twice last night and walks here
Ibanez - strikes out to end the inning.
End 1. 2-1 Yankees
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Starting Lineups
Yankees
Derek Jeter - SS
Johnny Damon - LF
Mark Teixeira - 1B
Alex Rodriguez - 3B
Jorge Posada - C
Robinson Cano - 2B
Nick Swisher - RF
Melky Cabrera - CF
CC Sabathia - SP
Phillies
Jimmy Rollins - SS
Shane Victorino - CF
Chase Utley - 2B
Ryan Howard - 1B
Jayson Werth - RF
Raul Ibanez - LF
Pedro Feliz - 3B
Carlos Ruiz - C
Joe Blanton - SP
Top 1
Blanton throws a strike to Jeter on the first pitch of the game. Hamels did that last night too...
Jeter hits the next pitch to second and Utley make a nice dive to retrieve it. Unfortunately for him, he slips on the grass and Jeter is safe at first.
Damon - lines a rocket that one hops the chainlink fence in right. Jeter pulls into third and Damon into second with a double. Good start for New York.
Teixeira - hits a hard shot to first that Howard snabs at rushes to first to retire Teixeira. Jeter scores and Damon goes to third. 1-0 Yankees.
Rodriguez - gets hit with the first pitch he sees. He stares at his bench as the Phillies' fans get up a cheer. Eventful inning for Blanton - one run, two hits and one hit batsman in only seven pitches.
Umpires meet and issue a warning to both sides. They're definitely erring on the side of caution, but this takes away any chance of retribution for Sabathia, which causes Girardi to argue. Should be a fun night.
Posada - bats as the obligatory "Yankees Suck" chants start up. He then hits a sacrifice fly to left field that scores Damon. The throw of Ibanez then goes to the backstop as it banks off of Damon's helmet and Rodriguez takes second. No word if the ball then hit "Tilt". 2-0 Yankees
Cano - flies out to center to end the inning.
Mid 1. 2-0 Yankees
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Hey Baseball Fans,
Icers beat reporter (and former State College Spikes reporter) Tom Copain here to take you through Game 4 of the World Series. No, unfortunately there will not be eyeball races, breaking glass commercials and numerous insults from fellow Collegian reporter Audrey Snyder like there were in the Spikes blogs. There will, however, be a great game tonight between a team that looks to have its swagger back (Yankees) and a team that is probably in a must-win situation (Phillies).
Let's be honest -- Philadelphia needs this one tonight. All the momentum that Cliff Lee gave them in Game 1, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte took back for New York in the last two games, and the Phillies have gone from needing to get one in the Bronx to trying to get the series back to the Bronx.
It doesn't help tonight that the Yankees will send their ace CC Sabathia to the mound, albeit on short rest, while the Phils counter with Joe Blanton. Sabathia was strong in Game 1 despite taking the loss, allowing only two runs in seven innings. Blanton was solid in Game 4 in the NLCS against the Dodgers, allowing three runs in six innings and getting the no-decision. More bad news for Philadelphia -- Sabathia was great in his one postseason start on short rest, allowing one run in eight innings in Game 4 of the ALCS.
But if there is one thing going for the Phillies, it's 2008 mojo. Blanton pitched in Game 4 of the World Series last year and hit a home run en route to a victory. That moment might not happen if Shane Victorino doesn't hit a Grand Slam in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Brewers. Who did he hit it off of? CC Sabathia ... on short rest.
Not sayin' ... just sayin'. First pitch coming up.
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