Utley Blasts Phillies Into Game 6
Phils second baseman hits two homers to lead the way
By DAN STAMM
Updated 1:39 AM EST, Tue, Nov 3, 2009
The "Unbe-LEE-able" tandem of Chase Utley and Cliff Lee carried the Phillies to an 8-6 World Series Game 5 win Monday night.
Mix in a ragtag effort from Phillies relievers and a bomb by Raul Ibanez and the Phillies staved off elimination to stay alive for at least another game.
The key to Game 5 was to replicate the effort from Game 1 when Lee pitched a complete game and Utley hit two bombs.
Citizens Bank Park was rocking as Lee pitched seven strong innings before falling apart in the eighth. Despite giving up five runs he still earned his fourth postseason win.
Utley hit a three-run homer off Yankee starter A.J. Burnett to put the Phils on the board in the first inning. He then followed it up with a solo shot in seventh to extend the Phillies lead.
He has eight RBI and has scored six runs in this World Series.
The Phils second baseman tied Reggie Jackson's World-Series record by hitting his fifth dinger of the Fall Classic. If Jackson was Mr. October does that make Utley Mr. November?
"It's pretty cool," Utley said. "It's pretty surreal. I'm glad we got the win tonight. We're going back to Yankee Stadium."
Chan Ho Park got three outs to get the Phils out of the eighth inning with a three-run lead. Ryan Madson came in and gave up a run while recording a shaky save for the Phightins.
The Phightins now trail the Fall Classic 3-2. Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins summed up the urgency of being on the brink of elimination.
"We had to do it," Rollins said. "We didn't have a choice. It was either go home and watch football and college basketball or extend the season."
The key for the Phillies was getting to Burnett early. The Yankee right-hander lasted just two-plus innings and gave up six earned runs on four hits and four walks.
The Yankees trailed 6-1 but would chip away with a RBI groundout by Johnny Damon in the fifth. They would then blow up for three more runs in the eighth on a two-run double by Alex Rodriguez and a sacrifice fly by Robinson Cano.
Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz also knocked in runs for the Phillies.
Next up for the Phillies will be a Wednesday night showdown in the Bronx. Pedro Martinez on full rest would likely take the Yankee Stadium mound against Andy Pettitte who will be on short rest.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC Philadelphia
First Published: Nov 2, 2009 11:41 PM EST
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