World Series Game 3: New York Yankees at Philadelphia Phillies
They say pitching is the key in the postseason, and that is proving to be correct so far in this World Series, as the Yankees and Phillies, the two teams who led their leagues in runs and homers this season, have been fairly quiet at the plate so far.
Game 3 is Saturday night in Philly, the first of three consecutive at Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia has won 11 of its past 12 home playoff games, including three in a row last season to win the World Series. But the Phillies are still +145 series underdogs on WagerWeb.com.
Unfortunately for Alex Rodriguez, the Yanks’ struggles at the plate are being pointed at him. A-Rod, who basically carried the Yankees for the first two rounds of the playoffs, struck out three times for the second straight game Thursday night. He is now hitless in eight at-bats against the Phillies in his first World Series. Rodriguez batted .438 (14-for-32) with five homers and a team-best 12 RBI over nine games against the Twins and the Angels in the first two rounds. The record for strikeouts by a batter in a World Series is 12, set by Kansas City’s Willie Wilson in a six-game loss to Philadelphia in 1980.
For the Phillies, Ryan Howard has struck out six times in nine at-bats, and Jimmy Rollins has one hit. The team is batting just .231.
Indeed, the starting pitching has been excellent so far. New York’s CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett have a combined ERA of 1.92, pitching 14 of 18 innings, while Philly’s Cliff Lee and Pedro Martinez have a 1.80 combined ERA, pitching 15 of 17 innings.
The Yankees will start Andy Pettitte, 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA in three starts this postseason, for Game 3 on Saturday. Pettitte, who has more postseason wins than any pitcher in history has a career 2-2 record with a 3.67 ERA in seven regular season starts against the Phillies. In 11 career World Series starts, Pettitte is 3-4 with a 3.82 ERA. The Yanks are -123 moneyline betting favorites for Game 3 on WagerWeb.com.
Cole Hamels, last year’s World Series MVP, starts for the Phillies. He is 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in three postseason starts this year. He has allowed 20 hits, 11 runs, two walks and six home runs in 14 1/3 innings. He has struck out 12 and opponents have hit .328 against him. Hamels is 0-1 with a 2.77 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees.
Twenty-eight of the 53 teams that won Game 2 to tie the Series went on to win the title — but just one of the last six, the 2002 Angels.
Note: Philadelphia will start Joe Blanton in Game 4 and not bring back Lee on short rest.
Oklahoma State, which beat a ranked Georgia team in the season opener, has not knocked off two ranked teams in the same season since 1984.
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