Yankees Phillies World Series Game 2 Preview
Game 1 Stunned Yankee Nation -- NY Faces Must Win Game
Oct 29, 2009
The 2009 World Series is underway and is already raising some eyebrows. Here's a look back at Game 1 and a preview of Game 2:
Game 1 Recap: Philadelphia Phillies 6, New York Yankees 1
Going into the top of the 8th inning, this game was still a nail-biter, with a slight 2-0 advantage for the Phillies. The Yankees C.C. Sabathia pitched very well, but Phillies ace Cliff Lee went one better. Lee shut down the big Yankees sticks and put his team in position to win even a close one. With Chase Utley going deep twice, that was all the O that the Phillies needed.
Yankees slugger A-Rod struck out three times en route to taking the collar, and 1st baseman Mark Teixeira -- both of whom the Yankees are counting on big-time to produce this Series -- also failed to get a hit in four at-bats. Not a RBI was recorded for the Yankees as their lone run was produced from a throwing error by Phillies Shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the last of the ninth.
Thanks to his gem in Game 1, Lee now lays claim to the best post-season ERA ever. Among pitchers with a minimum of three starts, Lee is at the top of the list with an 0.54 ERA, all in this year's action.
Key to Game 2: Phillies Pitcher Pedro Martinez
The man who proclaims himself to be "the greatest influence on the game ever to appear at Yankee Stadium" is likely salivating at the opportunity to put this Series virtually out of reach for the Phillies. Pedro was picked up by the Phils mid-season and quickly made the acquisition worth their while. He went 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA during the regular season and is 5-2 with a 3.18 ERA in his 12 career post-season starts. He still shows wicked movement in his cut fastball and in his last outing threw seven shutout innings of two-hit ball against the Angels. If Martinez can make the ball dance effectively in the cool autumn air, the Bronx Bombers could be down 2-0 in the Series before they even knew what happened.
Key to Game 2: Yankees Third Baseman Alex Rodriguez
Although A-Rod has shown a lot of post-season life in 2009, he is now a big question mark after Game 1 of the Series. Not only was he hitless in four at-bats, he struck out three times and didn't look good in any of them. The restless Yankee faithful are very anxious to see the $25 million man step it up in the clutch and deliver at the times that matter most. A-Rod is a career .291 hitter vs. Pedro and might decide that his only way of being effective is putting the ball in play rather than swinging for the fences.
Key to Game 2: Phillies First Baseman Ryan Howard
Big Ryan Howard bears an incredible likeness to the former Bash Brothers in Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco. This season he smashed 45 home runs while driving in 141 RBI. In this year's playoffs, Howard is slugging .750 and has driven in 15 RBI in 11 games. He loves the fastball and cranked two doubles in Game 1. On paper, you'd expect Howard to eat Yankees pitcher A.J. Burnett alive. If he does, it could quickly become curtains for the Yanks.
There are other elements that will make for a vital Game 2 such as the effectiveness and duration of Burnett's stint. Should the Yankees take the lead, it will be the first time this Series they get to rely on Mariano Rivera to shut the door. But while the majority of analysts thought the Phillies had a fighting chance at best, they're actually in a good position to take an almost insurmountable 2-0 lead back to Philly.
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