Top Moment No. 5: Utley, Lee Keep Phils Alive
It wasn’t a situation that the Phillies wanted to be in. After a heartbreaking loss, the Phillies found themselves trailing 3-1 in the World Series. However, the Phillies had their ace on the mound and a star second baseman that would tell the New York Yankees whose house they were in.
After a slight postseason slump, Chase Utley turned around his struggles in the World Series. He already hit three home runs, but he was far from done. A.J Burnett was Utley’s next victim, greeting him with a three-run bomb. Burnett was unable to recuperate as the Phillies tacked him for six runs in two innings.
Utley still had more in the tank. In the seventh inning, Utley’s short, quick swing sent another baseball into the outfield seats. This home run made history. Utley’s five World Series home runs tied Reggie Jackson’s 1977 record. Utley’s homers and a later Raul Ibanez’s solo shot were big reasons why the Phillies led 7-2 after seven.
In the mean time, Cliff Lee was cruising. Lee gave up five runs in seven innings, but he pitched better than his line indicated. The Yankees put up a fight, scoring three runs in the eighth inning, cutting the Phillies lead in half. But it wouldn’t be enough.
Chan Ho Park and Ryan Madson finished the game, securing the 8-6 win. Under the circumstances, it was the biggest win of the year, sending the series back to the Bronx and giving the Phillies high hopes.
