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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Replay revs up Yankees

Associated Press Yankees’ Nick Swisher is greeted after his sixth-inning home run. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Mike Fitzpatrick Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA – The first instant-replay call in World Series history did more than turn a double into a home run. It changed the whole game for Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees.

Rodriguez’s disputed shot started a big comeback and those dangerous Yankees bats finally broke loose, backing Andy Pettitte in a rain-delayed 8-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night that gave New York a 2-1 Series lead.

After pitching dominated the first two games in the Bronx, the Yankees and defending champion Phillies flexed their muscles, combining for six home runs. Jayson Werth connected twice for Philadelphia.

Rain affected the Series schedule in Philadelphia for the second consecutive year, delaying the start by 1 hour, 20 minutes. Once they hit the field in front of their boisterous fans, the Phillies took a 3-0 lead – but it was squandered by a struggling Cole Hamels, last year’s World Series MVP.

Game 4 is tonight. Joe Blanton pitches against Yankees ace CC Sabathia, who goes on three days’ rest for the second time this postseason.

A slumping Nick Swisher and pinch-hitter Hideki Matsui also went deep for New York. Johnny Damon hit a tiebreaking, two-run double.

“This was my first time coming to this ballpark. It just seems like you’re going to have a slugfest a lot,” Swisher said. “It was a great day for us.”

Pettitte settled down after a shaky start and even helped himself at the plate with a tying single. His six-inning outing was enough to earn his 17th postseason win, extending his major league record.

“He closed off our left-handed hitters,” Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said.

That included Ryan Howard. The big slugger and N.L. Championship Series MVP is 2 for 13 with nine strikeouts in the Series.

Carlos Ruiz of the Phillies homered in the ninth off Phil Hughes. Mariano Rivera finished up at 12:42 a.m. in a non-save situation.

With the Yankees down three runs, Mark Teixeira walked in the fourth and Rodriguez hit an opposite-field drive deep into the right-field corner. He cruised into second base with an apparent double after the ball ricocheted back onto the field.

Video replays, however, showed the ball struck the lens of a television camera positioned just above the fence at the 330-foot sign. New York manager Joe Girardi came out to talk with right-field umpire Jeff Nelson as Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee visited the mound.

While Rodriguez chatted with Howard at second base, umpires huddled in the infield. Four of the six went under the stands for a look at the replay and emerged about a minute later.

The signal: home run.

“I couldn’t see it,” Rodriguez said. “When we got the call I was happy.”

Rodriguez’s first hit in nine World Series at-bats was his sixth homer this postseason, tying Bernie Williams’ club record from 1996. It also was the 17th postseason homer this year for the Yankees, setting a franchise mark.

The call seemed to give the Yankees a boost.

Yankees 8, Phillies 5

New York AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
Jeter ss 5 1 1 0 0 1 .385
Damon lf 4 1 1 2 1 0 .167
Teixeira 1b 3 1 0 0 2 2 .100
A.Rodriguez 3b 2 1 1 2 1 0 .100
Posada c 5 0 1 1 0 0 .300
Cano 2b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .091
Swisher rf 4 2 2 1 0 0 .286
Gardner cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Me.Cabrera cf-rf 4 0 0 0 0 2 .100
Pettitte p 3 1 1 1 0 1 .333
Chamberlain p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —-
H.Matsui ph 1 1 1 1 0 0 .571
D.Marte p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —-
P.Hughes p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —-
Ma.Rivera p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —-
Totals 35 8 8 8 4 8
Philadelphia AB R H BI BB SO Avg.
Rollins ss 4 0 1 1 1 0 .200
Victorino cf 3 0 0 1 0 0 .182
Utley 2b 4 0 0 0 0 2 .182
Howard 1b 4 0 0 0 0 3 .154
Werth rf 4 2 2 2 0 1 .400
Ibanez lf 4 0 0 0 0 2 .250
P.Feliz 3b 4 1 1 0 0 1 .091
C.Ruiz c 2 2 1 1 2 0 .333
Hamels p 1 0 1 0 0 0 1.000
Happ p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —-
Bruntlett ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Durbin p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —-
Myers p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —-
Madson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —-
Stairs ph 1 0 0 0 0 0 .200
Totals 32 5 6 5 3 9
New York 000 231 110—8 8 1
Philadelphia 030 001 001—5 6 0

E—A.Rodriguez (1). LOB—New York 6, Philadelphia 5. 2B—Damon (1), Swisher (1), P.Feliz (1). HR—A.Rodriguez (1), off Hamels; Swisher (1), off Happ; H.Matsui (2), off Myers; Werth 2 (2), off Pettitte 2; C.Ruiz (1), off P.Hughes. RBIs—Damon 2 (2), A.Rodriguez 2 (2), Posada (2), Swisher (1), Pettitte (1), H.Matsui (2), Rollins (1), Victorino (2), Werth 2 (2), C.Ruiz (1). SB—Damon (1), Rollins (2). S—Hamels. SF—Victorino. RLISP—New York 2 (Posada, Cano); Philadelphia 3 (Howard, Utley, Rollins).

New York IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Pettitte W, 1-0 6 5 4 4 3 7 6.00
Chambrln H, 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
D.Marte 1 0 0 0 0 2 0.00
P.Hughes 1/3 1 1 1 0 0 81.00
Ma.Rivera 2/3 0 0 0 0 0 0.00
Philadelphia IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Hamels L, 0-1 4 1/3 5 5 5 2 3 10.38
Happ 1 2/3 1 1 1 0 1 5.40
Durbin 1 1 1 1 1 2 9.00
Myers 1 1 1 1 0 2 9.00
Madson 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.00

IR-S—Happ 2-0. HBP—by Durbin (A.Rodriguez), by Hamels (A.Rodriguez). T—3:25. A—46,061 (43,647).