Old foes meet up again

By MIKE FITZPATRICK Associated Press - 11/4/2009


NEW YORK — Andy Pettitte leaned forward in his chair and recounted a recent chat he had with Derek Jeter as soon as they realized what was next in this World Series.

Pettitte vs. old foe Pedro Martinez, with the Yankees one win from ecstasy.

Still chasing that elusive 27th championship, New York turns to Pettitte once again in Game 6 on Wednesday night, hoping he can pitch his team past the Philadelphia Phillies on only three days' rest.

"Me and Derek were talking about it in the clubhouse last night. Just, how strange is this?" Pettitte said Tuesday. "I think everybody knew it was going to be a great Series. I think everybody knew it was going to be a tough Series. And it looks like it's living up to that."

After wasting a chance to wrap things up in Game 5 at Philadelphia, the Yankees set their sights on clinching at home.

They'd love to christen their $1.5 billion ballpark with a World Series crown in its first season and give a seventh title to 79-year-old owner George Steinbrenner.

They've got two chances to do it. Game 7 would be Thursday night in the Bronx if necessary, with ace CC Sabathia pitching for New York — also on short rest.

"People expect us to be great all the time. We just need to be great tomorrow night," Johnny Damon said.

Coming off an 8-6 victory Monday night that trimmed their Series deficit to 3-2, the defending champion Phillies took the train to New York on Tuesday afternoon, a ride that takes a little more than an hour.

They chose not to work out at Yankee Stadium, but their opponents did.

Martinez and Manuel showed up at the ballpark for news conferences. Manuel was uncertain whether All-Star center fielder Shane Victorino would be able to play in Game 6 after getting hit in the right hand with A.J. Burnett's 95 mph fastball Monday night.

If Victorino can't go, Ben Francisco would likely start in center.

The last team to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win the World Series was the 1985 Kansas City Royals.

On the other side, second-year Yankees manager Joe Girardi confirmed that he won't hesitate to use a well-rested Mariano Rivera for multiple innings Wednesday to try and close it out.

"The only thing I focus on is Game 6. I don't focus on legacy, because I'm not worried about my legacy," said Girardi, trying to guide New York to its first title in nine years. "People are always going to have perceptions of you, and some of them are going to be true, and probably most of them are going to be false."





WORLD SERIES

New York 3, Philadelphia 2

Best-of-7 - 6:57 p.m.

TV: KOKI-5/23

Radio: KAKC am1300

Oct. 28: Phillies win, 6-1

Oct. 29: Yankees win, 3-1

Oct. 31: Yankees win, 8-5

Nov. 1: Yankees win, 7-4

Monday: Phillies win, 8-6

Wednesday: Phildelphia (Martinez 5-2) at New York (Pettitte 17-8)

x-Thursday: at New York

x-if necessary





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