You knew it was going to happen. You felt it. You just wondered when.
After blowing 11 saves in the regular season, you just wondered when Brad Lidge would blow one in the postseason. With a long rest before Game 1 of the World Series and not having been used in the first three games, the time was ripe.
But to set that stage, the Yanks had to blow the 4-2 lead they took into the bottom of the 7th (see previous post). For the third time in the Series, CC gave up a two-strike gopher ball to Chase Utley. 4-3 Phils. Marte came in to get Howard.
In the 8th, Joba looked dominating. Two strikeouts. One strike from giving Mo a 4-3 lead. Then Pedro Feliz tied the game with a HR, which was quickly followed by a bunch of four-letter words from my mouth.
Top of the 9th. Lidge gets the first two hitters but Damon works Lidge and on the 9th pitch dunks a single into left. He steals second…and third on the same play as the shift is on for Teixeira, meaning 3B Feliz had to take the throw leaving no one covering third! Teix is plunked but then A-Rod comes up huge with an RBI double. Posada follows with a 2-run single (and is thrown out trying for two) but it is 7-4 Yanks.
Enter Sandman.
As I’ve written, the Yanks have the one thing no one else does. Rivera. Other team’s closers have blown leads this offseason. Papelbon, Street, Nathan, Broxton, Franklin…and now Lidge. But not Rivera…yet if ever this year.
Ten years ago, Rivera was the WS MVP. Only three men have won it twice. Koufax (1963 and 1965), Gibson (1964 and 1967) and Reggie (1973 and 1977). Could Mo do it….with ten years (1999 and 2009) separating the achievements?
If Burnett comes up huge tonight, he may get WS MVP. But as of now, Mo has a good chance.
But no chicken-counting yet. One win to go. AJ vs. Lee tonight. Game 5.
2 responses so far ↓
1 Jason // Nov 2, 2009 at 3:49 pm
The ninth-inning sequence with JD–the long at-bat for a single and the two stolen bases on one play–should go down in World Series history, right there with Country Slaughter’s mad dash, Mickey Owen’s passed ball, and more, as one of the most memorable plays ever. Brilliant, just brilliant.
A-Rod has been money, even with just the two hits. Last night’s RBI was beyond enormous, and Jorge’s insurance RBIs put the salt on it.
A.J. has to be even with Lee–better would be great, but I’d definitely settle for pitching Lee to a draw. I like the Yanks’ chances, and think the Yanks will do a bit better against Lee tonight than in Game 1.
One more win. One more.
2 Mike Sommer // Nov 2, 2009 at 7:36 pm
…and astute Yankee fans will remember a similiar type of play…Opening Day 2004 when Jeter tried to run to an unoccupied third…only to have his shoulder get to third at the same time as Toronto C Huckabee’s shin. Ouch Dislocated shoulder and Jete out for 6 weeks.
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