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World Series Game 6: Ecstasy in the Bronx! Yankees win title No. 27
EDITOR'S NOTE: For a slideshow of images from the game and celebration, click here.
NEW YORK — The New York Yankees bolted from the dugout even before the last grounder was scooped up. After waiting nine years for championship No. 27, no one would dare hold them back.
"It feels better than I remember it, man," captain Derek Jeter said. "It's been a long time."
Hideki Matsui tied a World Series record with six RBIs, Andy Pettitte won on short rest and New York beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6 on Wednesday night, finally seizing that elusive title — the most in all of sports.
Paint the town in pinstripes! Nearly a decade after their dynasty ended on a blooper in the desert, the Yankees are baseball's best again.
Matsui, the Series MVP, powered a quick rout of old foe Pedro Martinez. And when Mariano Rivera got the final out, it was ecstasy in the Bronx for George Steinbrenner's go-for-broke bunch.
What a way for Alex Rodriguez and Co. to christen their $1.5 billion ballpark: One season, one World Series crown — the team's first since winning three straight from 1998-2000.
"The Yankees won. The world is right again," team president Randy Levine said.
The season certainly ended a lot better than it started — with a steroids scandal involving A-Rod, followed by hip surgery that kept him out until May.
"My teammates, coaches and the organization stood by me and now we stand here as world champions," said Rodriguez, who admitted using steroids from 2001-03 while with Texas. "We're going to enjoy it, and we're going to party!"
For Chase Utley and the Phillies, it was a frustrating end to another scintillating season. Philadelphia fell two wins short of becoming the first NL team to repeat as World Series champions since the 1975-76 Cincinnati Reds.
Utley tied Reggie Jackson's record with five home runs in a Series. But Ryan Howard's sixth-inning shot came too late to wipe away an untimely slump that included 13 strikeouts, also a Series mark.
Meanwhile, Phillies pitchers rarely managed to slow Matsui and the Yankees' machine.
"I told them that I loved the way they played. We're fighters and never quit," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. "We want to keep what we got as far as attitude and chemistry."
For second-year manager Joe Girardi, a three-time Yankees champion as a player, it was the fulfillment of a mission. When he succeeded Joe Torre in October 2007, Girardi chose uniform No. 27, putting his quest on his back for all to see. His tenure didn't start out so well, with New York missing the playoffs in its final season at old Yankee Stadium following 13 consecutive appearances.
"To be able to deliver this to the Boss, the stadium that he created and the atmosphere he has created around here is very gratifying for all of us," Girardi said.
This championship came eight years to the day that the Yankees lost Game 7 of the 2001 World Series in Arizona on Luis Gonzalez's broken-bat single off Rivera.
Steinbrenner spent billions trying to win another Series. At long last, his team did.
Fittingly, it was dedicated to the 79-year-old owner, who has been in declining health and didn't make the trip from his home in Tampa, Fla.
Still, his presence was felt.
"Boss, this is for you," the giant video screen in center field flashed during postgame ceremonies while his son, Hal, the team's managing general partner, accepted the championship trophy.
For the Four Amigos, it was ring No. 5.
Jorge Posada, Jeter, Pettitte and Rivera came up together through the minors and were cornerstones for those four titles in five years starting in 1996.
Now, all on the other side of age 35, they have another success to celebrate. And surely they remember the familiar parade route, up Broadway through the Canyon of Heroes.
"It's an honor for me to win a championship with those guys. They are Yankee legends," Mark Teixeira said.
But, hey, Babe and Yogi, Mr. October and Joltin' Joe — you've got company. Teixeira, CC Sabathia and a new generation of Yankees have procured their place in pinstriped lore.
Moments after second baseman Robinson Cano fielded Shane Victorino's grounder and threw to first for the final out, Joba Chamberlain and Nick Swisher led a victory lap around the warning track, carrying flags that read "2009 World Series champions."
Players high-fived fans, then sprayed bubby behind the mound — the same sort of celebration Philadelphia enjoyed last year after beating Tampa Bay.
"We think we can be back here again and again. We have a great squad," Phillies closer Brad Lidge said.
New York wasted its chance to wrap things up in Game 5 at Philadelphia, then set its sights on clinching the World Series at home for the first time since 1999.
While nine years between titles is hardly a drought for most teams, it was almost an eternity in Yankeeland.
New York's eight seasons without a championship was the third-longest stretch for the Yankees since their first one, following gaps of 17 (1979-95) and 14 (1963-76).
Jackson's three homers in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers made the Yankees champs in '77. On this November night, Matsui delivered a sublime performance at the plate that made Mr. October proud.
"It's awesome," Matsui said through a translator. "Unbelievable. I'm surprised myself."
Playing perhaps his final game with the Yankees, Matsui hit a two-run homer off Martinez in the second inning and a two-run single on an 0-2 pitch in the third.
A slumping Teixeira added an RBI single in the fifth off reliever Chad Durbin, and Matsui cracked a two-run double off the right-center fence against lefty J.A. Happ.
A designated hitter with balky knees, Matsui came off the bench in all three games at Philadelphia. Still, he had a huge Series, going 8 for 13 (.615) with three homers and eight RBIs. His go-ahead shot off an effective Martinez in Game 2 helped the Yankees tie it 1-all.
Bobby Richardson was the only other player with six RBIs in a World Series game, doing it for the Yankees in Game 3 against Pittsburgh in 1960. Richardson had a first-inning grand slam and a two-run single in the fourth.
Matsui's big hits built a comfortable cushion for a feisty Pettitte, who shouted at plate umpire Joe West while coming off the field in the fourth. Still, Pettitte extended major league records with his 18th postseason win and sixth to end a series.
The 37-year-old left-hander, pitching on three days' rest, became the first pitcher to start and win the clincher in all three postseason rounds. He beat Minnesota and the Los Angeles Angels in the AL playoffs.
Pettitte lasted 5 2-3 innings, allowing three runs, four hits and five walks. Chamberlain and Damaso Marte combined for 1 2-3 innings of scoreless relief before Rivera secured the final five outs.
"You don't look at it as a failure," Howard said. "We had a great season. We just got beat by the better team."
It had been nearly a half-century since players had won five titles with one team. The last to do it? Of course a bunch of Yankees: Yogi Berra (10 titles), Mickey Mantle (seven) and Whitey Ford (six) in 1962, according to STATS LLC.
NOTES: Jeter batted .407 in the Series. ... It was the fourth time Rivera got the final out of a World Series. ... Yankees LF Johnny Damon left after three innings with a strained right calf.
Matsui becomes 1st Japanese-born World Series MVP
NEW YORK — Hideki Matsui took a meaty cut, watched the ball fly and winced when it hooked a foot foul.
That's about all that went wrong for him.
Matsui put the world in World Series MVP, earning the award by homering, doubling, singling and driving in six runs Wednesday night as the New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 to claim their 27th championship.
Matsui became the first Japanese-born player to win the award that started in 1955. He hit .615 (8 for 13) with three home runs and eight RBIs. His performance in Game 6 matched the record for RBIs in a Series game. No one, however, had done it in a clincher.
"It's awesome," Matsui said through a translator. "Unbelievable. I'm surprised myself."
Standing on a podium in shallow center field, Matsui waved his new championship hat and shook hands with commissioner Bud Selig. Matsui won three titles in Japan and was eager to celebrate his first in the Bronx.
"I guess it's hard to make a comparison. When I was in Japan, that was the ultimate goal. Being here, winning the World Series, becoming world champions, that's what you strive for here."
"You could say that I guess this is the best moment of my life right now," he said. "It's been a long road and very difficult journey."
Matsui's two-run drive off Pedro Martinez in the second inning put the Yankees ahead for good. Nicknamed "Godzilla" back home, Matsui sent a shot to right field that banged off an advertisement on the facing of the second deck — fittingly, it was a sign for the Japanese company Komatsu, which makes mining and construction equipment.
After his hard foul, Matsui added a two-run single in the third and lined a two-run double off the right-center field wall in the fifth. The giant videoboard in center field showed fans holding Japanese signs and while the sellout crowd roared, he stood placidly at second base.
Fans cheered when Matsui's feat, matching Bobby Richardson's 1960 mark for RBIs in any Series game, was posted on the scoreboard.
Matsui drew a standing ovation when he came to bat in the seventh, and chants of "MVP! MVP!" bounced around the ballpark.
"He hit everything we threw up there," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said.
Praised Yankees captain Derek Jeter: "Man, he looked like he wanted it bad, didn't he?"
"Matsu is one of my favorite players, one of my favorite teammates. He comes ready to play every day. He's a professional hitter," he said.
Watching Game 6 on TV in Tokyo, Masanori Murakami echoed that sentiment. He was the first Japanese player in the majors, in 1964 with San Francisco, and fully appreciated the magnitude of Matsui's honor.
"Ichiro Suzuki has had many accomplishments, but they've all been in the regular season. As the first Japanese to win an MVP in the World Series, this is a great accomplishment for Matsui and will have a huge impact," Murakami said.
"New York is a tough place to play, so this is a great achievement for him given all he has been through with injuries and missing time," he said.
Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher hollered Matsui's name during the clubhouse party.
"Matsu," Swisher yelled. "They're partying in Tokyo tonight, I know that. Man, what a great job Matsu did for us, been coming up clutch for us in situations all year long. He deserved that MVP trophy. There's no doubt about it."
An outfielder by trade, Matsui hasn't played the field since June 15, 2008, because of bad knees. He hit .274 this year with 28 homers and 90 RBIs, and wasn't much of a force in the AL playoffs against Minnesota and the Los Angeles Angels.
That changed against the defending champion Phillies.
Now strictly a DH and pinch-hitter because of his knees, Matsui accomplished a lot in a hurry. His 13 at-bats tied Baltimore's Rick Dempsey in 1983 for the fewest by a Series MVP (nonpitchers only, naturally), according to STATS LLC.
Matsui became the first player to win the award as a full-time DH in the Series. Toronto DH Paul Molitor played in the field when the Blue Jays won the 1993 title.
Matsui's eight RBIs were the most in a World Series since Reggie Jackson had the same total in 1977 and 1978.
"Just wonderful," Jackson said. "He struggles to play the field now. Great, great player. Represents his country well. He's a gentleman. He's a class act. Great player and to put on a performance like that in what may be his last time in Yankee Stadium, you just tip your cap and enjoy it."
Matsui left Japan and signed with the Yankees in 2003. At 35, his greatest achievement might've come in his final game in pinstripes.
This year wrapped up Matsui's $52 million, four-year contract. It remains to be seen what the aging Yankees will do with him. Whatever happens, he certainly left his mark.
"I hope so. I hope it works out that way," he said. "I love New York, I love the Yankees."
-- Ben Walker
Pettitte helps Jeter, Rivera and Posada to title
NEW YORK — Jorge Posada tapped Andy Pettitte on the chest when it was time to leave. Derek Jeter watched from the mound, knowing exactly what it meant.
Along with Mariano Rivera, who was waiting in the bullpen, they have been the heart of the New York Yankees for 14 seasons.
And now after the Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6 on Wednesday night, the group finally has its fifth World Series championship.
"I've been blessed because I have four guys, we played for 15 years together," Rivera said, "and we have accomplished everything together."
The lone holdovers from the mid-1990s, when the Yankees began their run of four titles in five years were all fittingly involved in the win Wednesday. When Mark Teixeira caught the final out, Pettitte raced from the dugout, Jeter threw his hands in the air at shortstop and jumped, Rivera ran from the mound toward first base and pumped his fist, Posada leaped from behind the plate but stood back from the big scrum, taking it all in for an extended moment.
They were back on top.
"The funny thing about those four guys is the team in the 1990s couldn't have won without them, and the team now couldn't have won without them," said Paul O'Neill, a star of the four title-winning teams and a current Yankees broadcaster. "I don't think you'll ever see that again, four constants like that."
No player had won five titles with one team since Yogi Berra (10 titles), Mickey Mantle (seven) and Whitey Ford (six) in 1962, according to STATS LLC, did it as Yankees.
The core four have gone from upstart 20-somethings who brought a championship back to New York after a nearly two-decade absence to pushing 40. After the on-field celebration, Rivera and Pettitte sought out their families and Posada ended an interview and dropped his catching gear to hug his distressed young daughter — she didn't get to say hello to her dad yet.
"It's such a blessing to be a part of this group. I told Mo and Derek and Jorge and Andy that I feel very blessed, I feel so lucky to be a part of their fifth championship and my first," said Teixeira, a free-agent signee last offseason. "It's an honor to play with these guys."
Back in 1996 when Jeter was the Rookie of the Year, he told Berra that he was going to top his 10 World Series rings. But things didn't work out that way for baseball's last dynasty.
"Yogi didn't have the playoffs, though. He went straight to the World Series," Jeter said.
It took nine years for the bunch to make it back to the top and give Yankees owner George Steinbrenner the franchise's 27th title.
Since their run of three straight championships ended against Arizona in 2001, the Yankees spent $1.66 billion trying to win that elusive crown but time and again, as the Yankees failed, Jeter said the team is not the same as those that won in '96 and 1998-2000.
This group was also different, he said.
"We got contributions from a lot of different guys and for them to come in here and perform the way they performed, that's the reason why we're here," Jeter said.
Pettitte was 24 in 1996 when he beat Atlanta's John Smoltz 1-0 in Game 5, and he had an equally gritty start Wednesday on three days' rest, going 5 2-3 innings and giving up four hits and three runs. He secured the win in the clinching game in all three series victories in the 2009 postseason as a 37-year-old, who has talked about retirement after each of the past couple of seasons.
After New York's last trip to the World Series in 2003, Pettitte left for Houston. He returned in 2007 and admitted to using human growth hormone when the Mitchell Report was released in December.
"I'm a benefit of a lot of great teams I've been on. I've had a lot of wonderful players surrounding me," said Pettitte, who earned his playoff record 18th win. "This is what I came back for."
The 35-year-old Jeter had three hits Wednesday and reached base in all 15 games this postseason. The captain has always toed the Yankees line of measuring years by championships and no matter how well he played in the regular season he has not been satisfied since Luis Gonzalez blooped a winning single over his head to give the Diamondbacks the championship in Game 7.
This year he passed Lou Gehrig for the most hits with the Yankees and was selected the winner of the Roberto Clemente award, but he said it's the title he wants.
Jeter's best friend on the team, Posada, earned a ring in '96 but wasn't on the World Series roster. Manager Joe Girardi was the starting catcher then. But the 38-year-old Posada has been New York's No. 1 catcher since 1998. He's third on the Yankees list for most games caught behind Bill Dickey and, yep, Berra.
With one out in the eighth, the bullpen gate opened and Metallica's "Enter Sandman" blared as Rivera made one more run to the mound. Rivera, who will turn 40 on Nov. 29, was John Wetteland's setup man in '96, but has become the most dominant closer in postseason history with 39 saves — five this season. In the regular season, he and Pettitte have combined for the most win-save combos in big league history with 63.
"It's only fitting I think that Andy started it, Mo finished it," Jeter said.
-- Howie Rumberg
A-Rod finally a champion after year of turmoil
NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez grabbed the World Series trophy and wouldn't let go.
After the New York Yankees regained the title for the first time in nine years, after the podium presentation before a delirious crowd of 50,315 christened the new ballpark with a championship in its first year, A-Rod was the one to carry the trophy back to the clubhouse. He raised it high, showing it off to the fans, a triumph for the team and for himself.
"Look, a lot of people ran the other way. My teammates and coaches and organization stood right next to me. And now we stand together as world champs," he said a few minutes later in the clubhouse, under a shower of Moet & Chandon and Armand de Brignac. "It's been a special year. I know it started rocky for us."
He had piled up money in the bank and MVP awards on his mantle. Now he has the one and only prize he's ever wanted — a World Series championship ring.
"He's exorcised a lot of demons," Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said a few feet from the podium. "There's no reason to take any 'He can't do this; he can't do that.' He's done it all now. So now, he can just continue to write history, because he's one of the greatest players to ever play this game."
After six seasons of hits and home runs, heartaches and headaches, he finally earned his pinstripes in the eyes of the fans the only way Yankees can — with a title.
"I'm so happy the way they treated me all year," he said. "They stood behind me. Walking around the City of New York, everybody was so supportive."
He arrived in spring training exposed and embarrassed, labeled a steroid user from his years with Texas. His news conference was the low point of his career.
"I just knew then when I had the 25 guys there standing next to me, and organization and my general manager, they meant the world to me," he said. "I said that day that this is going to turn out to be maybe one of the most special years of our lives, and it sure has."
Then, weeks later, he wound up on an operating table in Colorado, unsure whether he'd make it on the field.
When he returned from hip surgery, it was a season of superlatives. He homered on his first swing in Baltimore, rousing the Yankees from the slumber of a 13-15 start, and homered on his last of the regular season at Tampa Bay. His three-run homer and grand slam against the Rays that afternoon gave him 30 homers and 100 RBIs for the 12th consecutive year.
And then he did away with the 0-for-October reputation that had stuck to him as much as his three AL MVPs. Rodriguez put together a performance that matched those of the players he seems to most admire, Reggie Jackson and Derek Jeter.
"He's one of the big reasons we're here," captain Jeter said.
A-Rod had been 8 for 59 (.136) in the postseason dating to 2004 and hitless in 18 consecutive playoff at-bats with runners in scoring position.
But this was a new A-Rod, liberated and transformed in his 16th big league season. Finally starting to grow up at age 34, he shed the distractions caused by his $275 million contract and an entourage of handlers he picked up from Madonna. He glowed in his relationship with new girlfriend Kate Hudson.
"I saw Kate, she was smiling so much I barely recognized her," Jackson said. "I think he feels happy. Seeing him, he's just happy."
This A-Rod was a one-man highlight reel.
He chased the Minnesota Twins' starter with an RBI single in the postseason opener, tied the score in the ninth inning of Game 2 with a two-run homer off Joe Nathan and tied the score again with another home run in the seventh inning of Game 3. He hit a tying 11th-inning homer off the Angels' Brian Fuentes in Game 2 of the American League championship series, then homered again in Games 3 and 4.
His only World Series home run, awarded after a video review in Game 3, awoke the Yankees from a 3-0 deficit against Cole Hamels. He led the Yankees in the postseason with a .365 average, six homers, 18 RBIs, 15 runs and 12 walks. After an 0-for-8 start in the Series that included six strikeouts, he was 5 for 12 with six RBIs in the final four games.
When he first joined the Yankees in 2004, the Yankees spurted to a 3-0 lead against Boston in the AL championship series before the greatest postseason collapse in baseball history.
Acceptance delayed. But not denied.
"It," he said, "probably feels better than '04 would have felt."
-- Ronald Blum
Commentary: Everything in N.Y. will be Girardi's for the asking
NEW YORK — Some guys like to sneak up on their target. Joe Girardi put his on the back of a uniform: No. 27.
And no sooner had Girardi delivered a 27th World Series title for the most storied franchise in American pro sports than he began plotting for the next one. No surprise there. The man always has a plan.
"We'll see," he said, "if anyone is going to charge me for No. 28."
It's yours, Joe. No one on the Yankees wore the number in the World Series, and by the time the next one rolls around, no one else would dare. Come to think of it, just about everything else in town will be yours for the asking, too.
It doesn't hurt, of course, that Girardi was a hero in New York long before he parked his backside in the manager's chair two years ago. That was because of the three World Series rings he won wearing pinstripes and the time he spent learning the trade as a bench coach under Joe Torre.
But this one was different. Girardi couldn't hand off the credit fast enough.
"As a player, it's what you dream about ever since you were a little boy. As a manager you still have that joy, but the joy is for other people ... and the behind-the-scenes work that it takes. It starts with the Boss and his family and Brian Cashman," Girardi said, crediting the Steinbrenners and his general manager first, then naming just about everyone on the organizational chart.
Girardi is smart that way, but genuine, too. As much as he's a stickler about getting things exactly right, the one thing he never forgets is that baseball is still a game played by people.
"Joe pushed all the right buttons," Yankee captain Derek Jeter said. "He was great to play for. Right from day one, we thought we had a special group and he was leading us."
It's no coincidence that catchers like Girardi, who wind up orchestrating the game on the field, make the best managers. Or that Philadelphia's Charlie Manuel was the only one of the four managers whose teams reached the league championship series who didn't play the position. Like Girardi, the Dodgers' Torre and the Angels' Mike Scioscia are former backstops as well.
None, however, was shaped by the experience more than Girardi.
He was ripped for micromanaging his bullpen throughout the postseason and called too smart for his own good. Critics said Girardi ran the game like an engineer and cited his bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Northwestern as though it made a slam-dunk case. Much, too, was made about the binder of statistics stuffed with scouting reports and statistical matchups that sat on the bench never more than an arm's reach away.
Yet the one decision that drew the most fire — letting backup Jose Molina catch starting pitcher A.J. Burnett instead of front-liner Jorge Posada — was strictly a seat-of-the-pants move. And it might have saved the Series. Girardi stuck with his decision after losing Game 1 at home and was rewarded when Molina, a better defender than Posada, called a nearly flawless game behind the plate and made a pickoff throw to first that was a pivotal play in Game 2.
What few people remembered is that Girardi was in a similar position in 1999. He was the Yankees' No. 1 catcher at the time, but it was already clear to everyone else in the organization that Posada was the future. Despite the loyalty that was forged between Girardi and Torre, Posada got the start for Game 4 of the World Series over Girardi. It was a lesson in team-building he never forgot.
In a sense, that day prepared him for this one. Girardi learned the best thing he could do as a manager was put his charges in a position to succeed. He put that lesson to work in his first managing job, a one-year stint with the lowly Marlins, pushing an unproven collection of youngsters into the 2006 NL wild-card race, despite the lowest payroll in the game. For his effort, though, he got fired immediately afterward, despite being named NL manager of the year.
When Girardi picked up his walking papers, all Girardi said, wisely, was thanks for the opportunity. He got mentioned for nearly every job that opened up in the interim, making the short list with the Cubs, Orioles, Nationals and even the Yankees, when Torre nearly got fired in 2007. But by then, Girardi had already hatched a more ambitious plan.
"I really believe in this club," he said. "I've always believed in this organization."
Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke@ap.org
Fans throughout NYC celebrate Yankees' title
NEW YORK — Hundreds of Yankees fans poured into the streets of New York early Thursday to celebrate the team's 27th World Series championship, a party that extended uptown and began building hours earlier when the crowd at Yankee Stadium danced and sang to the music even before the first pitch.
Fans in Yankees jerseys and hats who watched the 7-3 victory over Philadelphia at sports bar Stout spilled out onto 33rd Street between Sixth and Seventh avenues early Thursday in Manhattan. Greeted by an NYPD van, several patrol cars with lights flashing and officers standing on street corners, they remained well-behaved.
New York City police said there were no early reports of disturbances related to the Yankees victory.
A ticker-tape parade and ceremony to honor the team has been scheduled for Friday, the mayor's office said.
Outside the team's $1.5 billion ballpark in the Bronx, 16-year-old Ryan Wessel of Somers, N.Y., bought two Yankees hat right after the game. He reveled in the team's win, underscored by Hideki Matsui's record-tying six RBIs. Matsui was named World Series MVP.
"He definitely should have gotten it," Wessel said. "He's my favorite player."
The Yankees "have a great attitude, a lot of hard work, really superb performances by clutch players at the right time," said fan Bob Matsuok of New York, who wore a Matsui jersey as he watched the game in northern Manhattan.
Fans at Stout yelled, "MVP! MVP! MVP!" every time Matsui came to bat.
The three-level bar was packed most of Wednesday evening with fans from as far away as San Diego hanging on every pitch as they watched Game 6 on flat-screen televisions.
"It's phenomenal," said Robert Christiansen, 41, of Malverne, N.Y. "It's all you can ask for."
When Yankees left-hander Damaso Marte struck out Phillies second baseman Chase Utley on three pitches with two runners on to end the top of the seventh inning, a sense of relief overcame the packed house at Stout.
The crowd responded to the strikeout by chanting: "Yankees! Yankees! Yankees!"
Gabriel Ortega, 28, a credit card executive from San Diego, called it "an extraordinary game; it's keeping us on our toes."
"We love Matsui," said Ortega.
In Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood, a whoop went out from bars and restaurants every time the Yankees recorded an out in the late innings.
Fans high-fived each other at the Westside Tavern on 23rd Street when the game ended.
"Matsui should be the MVP," said Tom Murphy, an investor.
Cynthia Lang finished work on a party cruise boat and watched the last two innings at a Mexican restaurant next door.
"The season started off kind of slow," she said, adding that the Yankees performed best when it counted — in the playoffs.
Fans had waited nine years since the team's last World Series win, a Subway Series against their crosstown rivals, the Mets, in 2000.
Some were quick to note that before the series began, Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins had predicted a Philadelphia victory in five games.
But it was a quiet night on Broad Street in Philadelphia, where thousands of fans partied when the Phillies won the National League championship.
There were no postgame troubles in the city early Thursday, Philadelphia police spokesman Officer Stephen Malen said.
At Yankee Stadium, the stands trembled after each key hit.
A television blimp circled above the stadium during the entire game, and at one point the electronic lettering on the side beamed "Lisa, will you marry me? Love John."
The blimp circled the stadium again, and on the next round it brought the answer: She said "yes."
-- Virginia Byrne
Japanese fans celebrate Matsui's MVP performance
TOKYO — Japan nearly came to a standstill as millions watched on TV while Hideki Matsui, the man they know as Godzilla, stomped around New York to lead the Yankees to the World Series title.
Matsui became the first Japanese-born player to win the MVP trophy, setting a record with six RBIs in the World Series clincher to lead the New York Yankees over the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 on Wednesday night.
Matsui homered, doubled and singled in Game 6, highlighting a Series in which he hit .615 with three home runs and eight RBIs.
Japanese salarymen crammed into downtown electronics stores to watch the final few innings on giant TVs. The game ended just before 2 p.m. local time Thursday, giving office workers an excuse to take an extended lunch break.
"All the news recently has been about Ichiro Suzuki," said office worker Hiroyuki Takeuchi, who took the morning off to watch the game. "But Matsui's presence is huge. He overcame injuries and came through with the performance of a lifetime. As a Japanese, I'm very proud today."
Matsui was a three-time MVP for the Yomiuri Giants in the regular season in 1996, 2000 and 2002, his last year in Japan. He also won the MVP award in the 2000 Japan Series, Japan's version of the World Series.
Earning the nickname "Godzilla," Matsui hit 50 home runs in 2002. The No. 55 on his uniform is a tribute to Sadaharu Oh's single-season home run record.
"As the first Japanese to win an MVP in the World Series, this is a great accomplishment for Matsui and will have a huge impact," said former San Francisco Giants pitcher Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese player to play in the major leagues, who watched at his Tokyo home.
Matsui always has been popular in Japan, but his decision not to play in the World Baseball Classic drew criticism from some fans. Matsui always said he was passing over the WBC to prepare for the season with the Yankees.
The 35-year-old designated hitter is in the final year of a $52 million, four-year contract. And every baseball fan across Japan wants to know this: What will the Yankees do with Matsui?
"He's a very hard worker and is serious about his career," Murakami said. "I hope he stays with the Yankees. I know he wants to stay, and the Japanese fans want him to stay."
Japanese sports dailies have speculated about his future, some even saying he might return to Japan to play for the Hanshin Tigers, the fierce Central League rivals of the Giants.
"I hope he stays in New York," Takeuchi said. "He looks good in pinstripes."
-- Jim Armstrong
Notebook: Yankees give 'The Boss' his 7th title as owner
NEW YORK — For a guy who was hundreds of miles away, George Steinbrenner still managed to dominate the World Series.
Talk about a fitting tribute.
The frail owner was in Tampa, Fla., when New York beat Philadelphia 7-3 on Wednesday night to secure another championship, but there's no doubt the outcome brought a smile to his face.
"He's the reason we're here," captain Derek Jeter said. "First of all, we wouldn't be in this stadium if it wasn't for him. We wouldn't have this group together if it wasn't for him. This is a special moment. We all tried to win it for him. He deserves it."
It was the 79-year-old Steinbrenner's seventh crown since he bought the team in 1973 and first since turning over the day-to-day operations to his son, Hal, last November.
"Dad, I know you're at home watching with mom," Hal Steinbrenner said after accepting the championship trophy. "This one is for you."
George Steinbrenner has made few public appearances since his health deteriorated in recent years. He attended the first two games against the Phillies, returning to the new Yankee Stadium for the first time since opening day.
Hal and his brother Hank talked to their father during the clinching game.
"He's happy now," Hank Steinbrenner said. "Like I said, he was just, I say teary-eyed, emotional, very emotional."
Long after the players filed off the field, there was a picture of the trophy and the message "BOSS, THIS IS FOR YOU" displayed on the massive videoboard in center.
"He built this ballpark for us," Game 6 winner Andy Pettitte said. "He put this team together. He set a standard for us to uphold. These guys embraced it, and that makes it even sweeter to accomplish what we did."
TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE: Ryan Howard broke out of his World Series slump, but it wasn't enough for the Phillies to force a Game 7.
Howard hit an opposite-field, two-run homer to left off Andy Pettitte in the sixth inning to cut New York's lead to 7-3, but that was it for the Philadelphia offense. The big first baseman batted just .174 (4 for 23) against the Yankees with a Series-record 13 strikeouts.
"They just got hits in clutch situations," Howard said. "Obviously, it hurt us. I'm not disappointed. I'm proud of what we've done."
Howard, who was MVP of the Phillies' NL championship series victory over Los Angeles, finished with 17 RBIs in the postseason, tying the National League record set by San Francisco's Rich Aurilia in 2002 and equaled by Florida's Ivan Rodriguez in 2003.
"I feel cool. The only thing I can do now is go home and relax and come back for spring training," Howard said. "That's just the game. Sometimes you got it. Sometimes, it's not."
MORE FOR FOUR: The last Yankees championship team and the current one has four things in common: Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera.
The core four have been there for the team's last five World Series titles.
"The funny thing about those four guys is the team in the 1990s couldn't have won without them, and the team now couldn't have won without them," said Paul O'Neill, another star of the four title-winning teams and a current Yankees broadcaster. "I don't think you'll ever see that again, four constants like that."
The lone holdovers from the mid-1990s, when the Yankees began their run of four titles in five years, were all involved in New York's 7-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in the clinching Game 6.
No player had won five titles with one team since Yogi Berra (10 titles), Mickey Mantle (seven) and Whitey Ford (six) did it as Yankees in 1962, according to STATS LLC.
They've gone from brash 20-somethings to stars pushing 40, but their contributions have not diminished over the years.
"I've been blessed because I have four guys, we played for 15 years together," Rivera said, "and we have accomplished everything together."
RECORDS: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira was hit by a pitch in the third inning Wednesday night, tying two World Series records.
Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez each were plunked three times against the Phillies, joining Pittsburgh's Max Carey in 1925 as the only players to be hit three times in a single Series.
The 2009 Yankees, 1909 Pirates and 2001 Diamondbacks are the only clubs with six HBPs as a team in a Series.
READY FOR ANOTHER RUN: The Phillies dropped to 2-5 in the World Series and left the 1975-76 Cincinnati Reds as the only National League team to win consecutive championships since 1923.
With a strong core of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, Philadelphia could be return to the World Series soon.
"We've got a good team, and we love to play baseball," manager Charlie Manuel said. "It's been really enjoyable to coach and manage our team because of who we've got on our club. I'll tell you something, we will be back."
-- Jay Cohen
Phillies' bid for repeat falls short against Yanks
NEW YORK — One look from the dugout at the celebration on the field was all the incentive the Philadelphia Phillies needed for next year.
"We want that trophy back," Brad Lidge said.
The defending champions fell two wins short in their bid to become the first NL team in 33 years to win consecutive World Series titles. Their quest ended with a 7-3 loss to the New York Yankees in Game 6 on Wednesday night.
While the Yankees were soaking in champagne, the Phillies already were looking ahead to 2010. Considering all their key starters are under contract and most of their star players are 30 years old or younger, the future is bright. November baseball could become a fixture in Philadelphia.
"I told them that I loved the way they played, and we definitely were fighters and we never quit," Manuel said. "When you play in the World Series, somebody is going home. I'm proud to have the guys on our team with the makeup and the fight that they have, determination. We'll be back."
Chase Utley tied Reggie Jackson's record for homers in a Series with five, and Cliff Lee earned two wins. But the Phillies couldn't overcome poor performances by three players who played crucial roles in helping them win the franchise's second championship in 2008. Cole Hamels was MVP of the World Series last year against Tampa Bay. Lidge got two saves vs. the Rays and Ryan Howard had three homers and six RBIs.
None of them will have fond memories of this one.
The Phillies gave Hamels a 3-0 lead in the pivotal Game 3. But after tossing three scoreless innings, the temperamental lefty fell apart. He allowed five runs over 4 1-3 innings in an 8-5 loss that gave New York a 2-1 lead.
Lidge, who led the majors with 11 blown saves in the regular season, made one appearance against the Yankees. He entered with the score tied in the ninth inning in Game 4. After retiring the first two batters, Lidge gave up three runs in a 7-4 loss. He hadn't allowed a postseason run in five prior appearances.
Howard, the MVP of the NL championship series against Los Angeles, set a record with 13 strikeouts in a World Series. Willie Wilson fanned 12 times for Kansas City against Philadelphia in 1980.
Howard hit a two-run homer Wednesday night. But the All-Star first baseman finished with a .174 batting average (4 for 23), one homer and three RBIs.
"I feel cool," Howard said. "The only thing I can do now is go home and relax and come back for spring training."
The defending champs cruised to their third straight NL East title with 93 wins and breezed through the first two rounds of the playoffs, beating Colorado in four games in the division series and the Dodgers in five in the NLCS.
Still, the Phillies were 2 to 1 underdogs against the Yankees, who had 103 regular-season victories. The Vegas oddsmakers had it right all the way. No one was going to deny the best team that money can buy — New York's payroll was $201 million on opening day — its 27th title.
Howard, Hamels and Lidge weren't the only problems for the Phillies. A potent offense that led the league in runs went into a collective slump at the worst time. Jimmy Rollins (.217), Shane Victorino (.182), Pedro Feliz (.174) and Ben Francisco (.000) couldn't produce at the plate.
"They were the best team in the Series," Rollins said.
Lee was masterful on the mound in Game 1 and helped the Phillies avoid elimination with a strong outing Monday night. Pedro Martinez was superb in a 3-1 loss in Game 2, but the wily 38-year-old right-hander failed to match that effort his second time out Wednesday night. The rest of the pitching staff was shaky.
Defensively, a mistake by Victorino proved costly in the final game. The Gold Glove center fielder misplayed Derek Jeter's line drive into a single with one out in the bottom of the third. Hideki Matsui then ripped a two-out, two-run single to give the Yankees a 4-1 lead.
The Phillies were trying to become the first repeat champion from the NL since the Cincinnati Reds did it in 1976. The Yankees were the last team to capture consecutive titles when they won three in a row from 1998-2000.
"We're going to be a better team next year," Manuel said.
-- Rob Maaddi
Damon leaves Game 6 with strained calf
NEW YORK — Johnny Damon limped across home plate with the Yankees fourth run of the night — in what may be his final act with New York.
Damon strained his right calf in the third inning of the Yankees' 7-3 World Series-clinching win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 on Wednesday night and was taken out of the game.
"I've got plenty of time for it to heal now," said Damon, who turned 36 as the postgame celebration went into Thursday.
Damon was in the final year of a four-year contract with the Yankees and the team will likely only want to bring back Damon or Hideki Matsui, the Series MVP whose four-year deal is also up.
Damon walked with one out in the third and scored from second base on Matsui's two-run single. Damon appeared to be favoring his leg as he ran down the third-base line and crossed the plate standing up to give the Yankees a 4-1 lead over Philadelphia.
Jerry Hairston Jr. took Damon's place in left field for the fourth inning.
Manager Joe Girardi told Fox during a fourth-inning interview that Damon "felt his calf a little bit" on Matsui's foul ball down the right-field line earlier in the at-bat, "and when he scored it got worse."
Damon struck out in his first at-bat.
NYC to host ticker-tape parade for Yankees
NEW YORK — New York City will host a ticker-tape parade and ceremony in honor of the World Series champion New York Yankees.
The parade, scheduled for Friday will begin on Broadway at Battery Place at 11 a.m. and continue northbound up the Canyon of Heroes to City Hall Plaza where Mayor Michael Bloomberg will present the Bronx Bombers with the keys to the city.
Hideki Matsui's record-tying six RBIs helped the Yankees to the 7-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. New York won the series 4-2.
Yankees fans had waited nine years since the team's previous World Series title, a Subway Series against their crosstown rivals, the Mets, in 2000.
