Thursday, October 29, 2009

Phils dominate Game 1

By Jared Trexler

Chase Utley became the first left-handed hitter since Babe Ruth to have a multi-homer game in the World Series off a southpaw pitcher, and Cliff Lee dominated the potent Yankees lineup in a complete- game gem, as the Phillies took Game 1 of the Fall Classic from New York, 6-1, at Yankee Stadium.

Lee (1-0) struck out 10, didn't walk a batter and scattered six hits and surrendered an unearned run in confusing the middle of the Yankees order and making several highlight-worthy defensive plays, including a behind-the-back stab on a grounder up the middle in the eighth for the defending World Series champions. He tossed the first complete game in the World Series since Florida's Josh Beckett threw a gem in Game 6 of the 2003 Fall Classic at Yankee Stadium.

"I definitely have confidence. I have always been that way. This is the stage I've wanted to get to since I was a little kid," said Lee.

Utley, who had hit just one home run since mid-September, drilled two homers to right in the first six frames off Yankees ace CC Sabathia (0-1). The Yankees southpaw surrendered two runs on four hits with six strikeouts and three walks over seven frames.

Utley is the third left-handed hitter to have a multi-home-run game off Sabathia. Jim Thome and Ichiro Suzuki are the others to achieve the feat.

"My approach is trying to make him work a little bit. He is a big, strong guy who can work a little bit. I was trying to hit the fastball," said Utley.

Raul Ibanez added a two-run single for the Phillies, who are attempting to become the first repeat World Series champion from the National League since the Cincinnati Reds in 1975-76. In the process, they are trying to win their third world championship, far fewer than the 26 World Series titles already in the Yankees' hardware case.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Thursday night with Pedro Martinez slated to pitch for the Phillies and A.J. Burnett for the Yankees.

It was an incredible performance for Lee, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. The lefty threw 80 of his 122 pitches for strikes and has given up two earned runs in 33 1/3 innings during the postseason.

Utley spoiled several Sabathia offerings in the third before hitting the ninth pitch of the at-bat just over the wall in right. It was the first home run by a member of the visiting team at Yankee Stadium this postseason. The home run also pushed Utley to 26 consecutive games reaching base in the postseason, moving him past Boog Powell for the all-time record.

Utley clobbered a four-seam fastball deep into the right-center field seats with one out in the sixth, a towering shot that looked far different than his home run in the third inning. His second shot gave the visitors a 2-0 edge. Babe Ruth's multi-homer game off a southpaw came for the Yankees in Game 4 of the 1928 World Series, when he hit two off Bill Sherdel.

"CC got some balls in the middle of the plate to Utley and he made him pay," stated Yankees manager Joe Girardi.

Meanwhile, Lee continued to dominate, even through an interesting play in the fifth. With a runner on first and nobody out, Robinson Cano hit a liner to Jimmy Rollins, who caught it just above the ground, tagged second just in case and fired to first. The runner on first, Hideki Matsui, wandered off the base and Ryan Howard tagged him for the double play, which was called after the umpires convened to make a decision.

The Phillies' speed and a clutch at-bat added two insurance runs off the Yankees bullpen in the eighth. Rollins worked a walk off Phil Hughes and stole second in front of Shane Victorino's free pass. Damaso Marte entered to pitch, and Howard's one-out fly ball to right moved Rollins to third before Jayson Werth walked to load the bases for Ibanez. The outfielder didn't capitalize during his first bases-loaded chance in the first inning, but he rolled a two- run single into right for a 4-0 edge.

The National League champs tacked on two more runs in the ninth on Victorino's RBI single off Brian Bruney and Howard's RBI double off Phil Coke, making it a 6-0 game.

"That is how good teams play. We were able to tack on runs at the end of the game," said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.

Lee gave up an unearned run in the ninth as Mark Teixeira's grounder up the middle with two runners on was fielded by Utley, who flipped to Rollins, but the throw to first sailed into the dugout, allowing Derek Jeter to score.

Jeter had three of his team's six hits, but Lee's greatest success came against the middle of the Yankees lineup. Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada -- the 3-5 hitters -- were a combined 1-for-12 with seven strikeouts.

The Phillies' patience immediately ran up Sabathia's pitch count in the first. After two quick outs, Utley worked a work and Howard slammed a fastball into the right-field corner for a double. Werth took a free pass and Ibanez ran a 3-1 count, but Sabathia induced a groundout on the next pitch to escape any damage despite a 24-pitch frame.

New York got its first hit on Posada's one-out single in the second. Lee navigated the frame and struck out four through two innings.

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