Utley Ties HR Record, Phillies Force Game Six

Sports News - November 3rd, 2009 - Written by John

By the time the ninth inning rolled around, Brad Lidge was nowhere to be found. The Philadelphia Phillies could not afford to risk this one. It would've been the last one.

The New York Yankees were charging, and fans at Citizen's Bank Park were gasping during a furious rally in which the AL champs nearly recovered a six-run deficit. It was 8-5 in the final inning, and instead of putting the game into Lidge's hand, it was Ryan Madsen's turn to fight off the top of the lineup.

Derek Jeter grounded into a double-play, and Mark Teixeira struck out and the series is on it's way back to the Bronx after an 8-6 Phillies win that covered the spread.

"We didn't have a choice. It was either go home and watch football and college basketball or extend the season," Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins said.

The win preserve a decision for Cliff Lee, who deserved it after another quality outing against the highest-scoring team in baseball. He went seven innings and was charged five earned runs, although most of those were surrendered after he was lifted.

Chase Utley continued is monster November with two more home runs and has already tied Reggie Jackson's all-time mark of five homers in the World Series. He went 2-for-4 with four RBI and is making a case for MVP even if the Phillies lose. His homer in the seventh gave Philadelphia the difference in the game, although it didn't seem that way at the time. It was followed by a Raul Ibanez solo shot that made it 8-2 and it appeared the route was on.

Key word: appeared.

Manager Charlie Manuel was hoping to preserve his bullpen with the large lead and stuck with Chan Ho Park in the eighth inning even though he was roughed up to the tune of three runs when Alex Rodriguez again sparked a comeback. His double scored Johnny Damon and Teixeira before Robinson Cano finally got involved with a sac fly that scored A-Rod.

With Madsen anchoring the ninth, Jeter's grounder scored another run to create even more anxiety.

"We definitely have the momentum," said Madson, who got the save. "I didn't care if they scored one or two, as long as they didn't score three."

Utley has seven home runs in 10 career World Series games and Lee is 2-0 with 2.81 ERA, making it hard to find any two players in the championship who have been more valuable to their team.

The Yankees, however, continued a streak of their own, although it's not one to boast about. They have now lost three consecutive games in which they could've won the World Series. They are hoping that this series is more like the ALCS, however, in which the Los Angeles Angels won Game Five at home, only to fall in the first game back in the Bronx.

If you are going to do some MLB Betting on the series games then be sure to drop by our MLB Odds page to find all the information on it.

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