Utley Leads Phillies To 8-6 Win Over Yankees

Chase Utley hit two home runs and drove in four runs to lead the Phillies to a 8-6 win over the Yankees and extending the 2009 World Series to a sixth game and Utley has five home runs for the series.

Chase Utley homered twice and drove in four runs to keep the Phillies alive and needing one more win to tie the 2009 World Series at 3-3 in Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night after their 8-6 win over the Yankees.

Cliff Lee allowed only two runs in the first seven innings but gave up three runs in the eighth inning. A.J. Burnett allowed six runs and four hits and issued four free passes with the Phillies leading 6-1 after three innings.

Utley, Ibanez Hit Solo Homers In Seventh

The Yankees scored another run in the fifth inning to make it 6-2. Utley hit his second homer of the game and Raul Ibanez also homered in the seventh inning to give the Phillies a 8-2 lead. Both home runs came at the expense of Yankee reliever Phil Coke and were solo homers.

The Yankees scored three more times in the top of the eighth to make the score 8-5 in favor of the Phillies. The Yankees scored their last run in the top of the ninth when Derek Jeter hit into a double play with the Phillies holding on to win 8-6.

Phillies Leave Lidge In Bullpen

The Phillies were smart to not bring Brad Lidge into the game and it is doubtful if he will pitch again in the 2009 World Series. When a pitcher implodes with two outs like he did on Sunday night Charlie Manuel knew he couldn’t risk Lidge blowing another save and ending the World Series with a loss.

Now the Phillies have two pitchers they would like to hide the rest of the series with Cole Hamels being in line to start the seventh game but if he does the 2009 World Series banner is likely to be waving over Yankee Stadim.

Hamels says he wants the ball for Game 7 even though he knows he has not pitched well in the World Series. Meanwhile Cliff Lee says he is available to pitch in the final game. If he had pitched on three days rest on Sunday night the Phillies may be ahead in the World Series three games to two.

Hamels, Sabathia Could Start Game 7

If Lee doesn’t start in Game 7 then it would be tantamount to handing the championship to the Yankees if Cole Hamels starts against C.C. Sabathia.

All this is conjecture since there is the little matter of winning Game 6 before any Game 7 scenarios can be taken very seriously by the Phillies.

Pedro Martinez will face the hostile Yankee Stadium crowd again on Wednesday night who would love to see Martinez lose against Game 6 Yankee starter Andy Pettitte.

2009 World Series Statistical Highlights

Hitting

Johnny Damon leads all hitters in the 2009 World Series with a .381 average with Derek Jeter is next at .364. Jorge Posada is the only other Yankee hitting over .300 with a .313 average.

Chase Utley is the only Phillie hitting over .300 with a .333 average. Jayson Werth is next at .294.

Utley leads in home runs with five with Hideki Matsui and Jayson Werth second with two each. Utley also leads in runs batted in with eight while Alex Rodriguez is next with six.

Ryan Howard leads in strikeouts with 12 in 19 innings.

Pitching

Cliff Lee leads in wins with two and with a 2.81 ERA among all World Series starters. C.C. Sabathia is the worst Yankee starter with no wins in two starts and a loss. Joe Girardi still would like to start him in Game 7.

Mariano Rivera leads in saves with two with Ryan Madson being the only other reliever with a save.

C.C. Sabathia has allowed the most home runs with three in 13 innings while Cliff Lee has not given up a home run in 16 innings.

Sabathia and A.J. Burnett lead in walks with six each….Lee leads in strikeouts with 13 and Sabathia is second with 12.

Team Statistics

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