WORLD SERIES – GAME 3 PREVIEW
NEW YORK YANKEES (1-1) @ PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (1-1)
DATE: Saturday, October 31
TIME: 7:57 PM ET
TV: FOX
GAME 3 LINE: Yankees - 125 / Phillies + 105
TOTAL: 9 Over - 105 / Under - 115
PITCHING MATCH UP: Andy Pettitte (2-0, 2.37) v. Cole Hamels (1-1, 6.75)
The World Series heads south on I-95 to Philadelphia for a pivotal Game 3. Good news for the Phils who are 11 – 1 the past two years at Citizen’s Bank Ball Park in postseason games. After a stellar pitching performance by A.J. Burnett and two shut out innings by closer Mariano Rivera, the Yanks evened up the series at a game apiece. So far the narrative of the 2009 World Series has been excellent starting pitching. Cliff Lee dominated the power hitting Yankees by tossing a complete game with zero earned runs. Philly Game 2 starter, Pedro Martinez, tossed 6+ innings giving up three runs. The two Yankee starters, Sabathia and Burnett, combined to go 14 innings and gave up only three earned runs combined.
As the series moves to Game 3, the quality of the starters declines a bit. Both bullpens have yet to be really worked and the Yanks have not even seen Philly closer Brad Lidge. While, the Phils got a good 39 pitch look at Rivera on Thursday night.
PITCHING BREAKDOWN FOR GAME 3:
PHILADELPHIA:
First off, the former Philly ace has not had a quality start in his last six outings beginning in late September. The 2008 World Series and NLCS MVP is 1 - 1 with a 6.75 ERA in his three 2009 postseason starts. This includes giving up four earned runs in a five-inning outing against the Colorado Rockies. He made two starts against the Los Angeles Dodgers where he earned one win but gave up seven runs in only 9.2 innings of work. He has allowed 11 runs on 20 hits in a total of 14 1/3 innings and his opponents are hitting .328 against him. However, Hamels does have a 2.77 ERA against the Yankees in two career starts.
NEW YORK:
Fellow left-hander Andy Pettitte pitched the clinching Game 6 of the ALCS against the Angels last Sunday night. That win earned the 37-year-old his 16th postseason victory and made him baseball’s all-time postseason wins leader. Pettitte has had a very consistent season with a record of 14-8 and an ERA of 4.16 in 32 starts and 194.2 innings. In all three of his postseason outings, he has pitched 6 1/3 innings, never allowing more than three runs. Most importantly for Pettitte, the control problems that have bothered him at times this season have diminished. In his three postseason outings, he has struck out 15 batters and walked three.
In seven World Series starts, Pettitte is 3-4 with a 3.82 ERA. He did face the Phils this season where he pitched seven innings and gave up four earned runs. The Yankees won that game with a Brad Lidge blown save. Pettitte clearly does not have the “stuff’ that Sabathia and Burnett can throw at a hitter, however, Pettitte’s lifetime numbers against the Phils are outstanding. Ryan Howard is 1-for-9 and Chase Utley is 1-for-7.
NOTES:
So far Alex Rodriguez is 0-for-8 with six strikeouts in his first two World Series games. Fellow slugger Ryan Howard went 0-for-4 in Thursday night’s game.
The weather in Philadelphia this weekend is expected to be clear and cool with temperatures possibly reaching the 70s on Saturday.
