The New York Yankees clinched their twenty-seventh World Series championship at just before 5 a.m. British time this morning with a 7-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.  Hideki Matsui stole the show with a World Series record-equalling six RBI night, and was awarded the series MVP award as a result, while the Yankees’ win was fittingly topped and tailed by two veterans of the late-nineties championship team: Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera. 

Joe Girardi, New York’s manager, chose the uniform number 27 when he took charge prior to the 2008 season to serve as a constant reminder of what was demanded of him and his team.  Now that his team has won that twenty-seventh World Series championship, it will be a fitting tribute to their achievement.  However, knowing the lust for success in the Yankee organization, it would be no surprise if Girardi takes number 28 away from Shelley Duncan for the 2010 season.  This group has earned a place in the Yankees’ illustrious history, but the great teams have gone on and won several titles and that will now be their aim.  Continue reading →

The New York Yankees scored three ninth-inning runs to earn a stunning 7-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Four of the 2009 World Series.  Pedro Feliz blasted the Philadelphia crowd into a frenzy in the bottom of the eighth inning when he launched a 3-2 pitch from Joba Chamberlain into the left-field seats to tie the game at 4-4.  The Phillies dreamed of a shutdown inning by Brad Lidge to set up a walk-off hit against the Yankees’ legendary closer Mariano Rivera; however, the dream turned into a nightmare.  Continue reading →

The New York Yankees took a 2-1 World Series lead in the early hours of this morning after coming from behind to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 8-5 in a rain-delayed game.  Alex Rodriguez rebounded from two hit-less games by driving in two runs on a double that was turned into a home run after being reviewed.  Nick Swisher and Hideki Matsui also went deep for the Yankees and even though the Phillies matched their opponents in the home run stakes with two by Jayson Werth and a ninth-inning solo homer by Carlos Ruiz, New York’s superior pitching carried them home.  Continue reading →

The New York Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 in the early hours of this morning to level the 2009 World Series at 1-1.  A.J. Burnett was brilliant over seven innings and solo home runs by Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui proved to be the difference as Pedro Martinez took the loss against his old enemy.  We now have an ‘off’ day today before the series reconvenes in Philadelphia for three games in three days.  All three will be necessary and everyone who has richly enjoyed the first two games of this series will be keen for the final two potential games to be necessary as well.  This Fall Classic has the hallmarks of a seven-game epic.

When looking back over my scoresheet from Game Two, what strikes me the most are the similarities with the series opener.  Continue reading →