Cliff Lee pitched a complete game in the Phillies' Game1 victory, allowing only one unearned run, while Chase Utley hit two home runs. In Game2, solo home runs by Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui helped the Yankees win by a score of 3–1. After a rain delayed start, Game3 featured more offense, with a combined six home runs and thirteen total runs en route to a Yankee victory. The Yankees won Game4 by scoring the decisive three runs in the ninth inning after an alert base running play by Johnny Damon. The Phillies avoided elimination with a win in Game5, aided by Utley's second two–home run game of the series. The Yankees secured their World Series championship with a Game 6 victory in which Matsui hit his third home run of the series. He was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the series, making him the first Japanese-born player and the first full-time designated hitter to win the award. Matsui was the series' MVP despite starting only the three games that were played at Yankee Stadium, since the designated hitter position was not used in NL ballparks at the time.
Several records were tied, extended, or broken during this World Series, including team championships (Yankees with 27), career postseason wins (Andy Pettitte with 18), career World Series saves (Mariano Rivera with 11), home runs in a World Series (Utley with five), strikeouts by a hitter in a World Series (Ryan Howard with 13), and runs batted in in a single World Series game (Matsui with six).
In July 2009, Phillies scouts evaluated pitcher Pedro Martínez in two simulated games against the Phillies DSL team, leading to a one-year, $1-million contract.[7][8] Replacing Jamie Moyer as a starter in the Phillies rotation on August 12, 2009, Philadelphia won each of Martínez's first seven starts, the first time in franchise history that this had occurred with any debuting Phillies pitcher.[9] The Phillies made one large acquisition at the trade deadline, trading four minor league players to the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Cliff Lee and outfielderBen Francisco.[10] Lee won seven of his 12 regular season starts for Philadelphia in 2009.[11]
During the regular season, the Phillies led the National League East for most of the year, taking first place for good on May 30.[12] Ibáñez had started the year strongly, batting well over .300 with 17 home runs and 46 runs batted in (RBI) in the first two months of the season, which led the New York Post to call him an "early MVP candidate".[13] He was placed on the disabled list in mid-June for a groin injury, however, and though he returned he did not bat above .260 for any other ymd=20090618&content_id=5393172|first=David|last=Gurian-Peck|date=June 18, 2009|access-date=March 1, 2011|publisher=Major League Baseball|work=MLB.com|title=Phillies' Ibanez lands on disabled list}}</ref> Although Ibáñez did not receive MVP votes his teammates Ryan Howard and Chase Utley had successful years, finishing 3rd and 8th in the balloting respectively.[14] The Phillies finished the season with a record of 93–69 (.574), six games above the second-place Florida Marlins in their division.[12]
How great would that be? A World Series here, us against the Yankees? We've proved we can put on a pretty good show.
Jimmy Rollins, discussing the potential of a Yankees–Phillies World Series on May 24, 2009.[29]
The two teams played a three-game interleague series at Yankee Stadium in May 2009, with the defending World Series champion Phillies winning two of the three games.[30] The series included two blown saves by Phillies' closerBrad Lidge in games 2 and 3, although the Phillies came back to win the final game in extra innings.[30]
The Yankees had home field advantage for the Series as the American League had won that year's All-Star Game,[31] a year after the "Old" Yankee Stadium hosted the 2008 All-Star Game. The team match-up was heavily discussed and analyzed in the media prior to the beginning of the series. Both teams' offensive lineups were heavily touted,[32][33][34][35] with the Yankees and Phillies leading their respective leagues in runs scored per game.[36] Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez drew particular focus in the media for his success in earlier rounds of the 2009 playoffs in contrast to past postseason performances.[37][38][39] The two lineups featured 20 former All-Stars and three former MVP award winners.[33] Only one regular starter between both teams, Phillies catcherCarlos Ruiz, did not have at least ten home runs during the 2009 regular season.[33] The two teams combined for 468 home runs during the season, more than any pair of opponents in World Series history.[33]
The pitching staffs were also the subject of significant discussion prior to the series.[34] The starting pitchers for Game1, CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee, were regarded as aces[35] who dominated the 2009 postseason with a 0.96 earned run average (ERA) between them.[40] This matchup was of particular note, as Sabathia and Lee were former teammates from the Cleveland Indians and each had won a Cy Young Award with that franchise.[40][41][42] Yankees managerJoe Girardi had been using a three-man starting rotation during the playoffs, in contrast to the four-pitcher rotation used by the Phillies.[43][44] This difference led USA Today to give the Phillies' starting rotation the "edge" in the series, as the World Series had one fewer day off than previous rounds of the playoffs, making the series less conducive to using a three-man rotation.[44]Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN criticized Girardi's strategy, arguing that Chad Gaudin should have pitched in Game5 or 6, instead of A. J. Burnett or Andy Pettitte on reduced, three days' rest.[45] Wojciechowski argued that while Sabathia had proven his ability to pitch on shorter rest, Burnett and Pettitte should have been given their regular time between starts.[45] Burnett had drawn some criticism, as he performed poorly in his last appearance before the World Series,[40] a start in Game5 of the ALCS in which he allowed six runs over six innings.[46] However, Burnett had previously been successful on short rest, going 4–0 with a 2.33 ERA in four career starts on short rest before this game. Some believed Girardi settled on a three-man rotation because he had limited options for a fourth starting pitcher, either Gaudin or Joba Chamberlain, who had been inconsistent as starters in the regular season and had been shifted into the bullpen for the postseason.[45][47][48]
The matchup of closers, Mariano Rivera and Brad Lidge, also drew attention. Rivera and Lidge were the only closers who had not blown a save during the 2009 postseason, whereas closers on other postseason teams blew 11 saves in the 24 postseason games before the World Series.[49] Both had performed well during the postseason, but Lidge had posted a 7.21 ERA during the 2009 regular season, in contrast to Rivera's 1.76.[49][50] Lidge's 2009 numbers were in stark contrast to the previous season (41 out of 41 save opportunities, a 1.95 ERA, and 92 strikeouts in 62 games). As a result, USA Today gave the Yankees the edge, noting that Lidge had blown two saves against the Yankees during their regular season series earlier that year.[44]
Background
The Series started on October 28, 2009, which was the latest start in World Series history, beating the previous record held by the 2001 World Series (October 27).[51] Game4 was played on Sunday, November 1 and the series-winning Game6 took place on November 4. The Series was only the third to end in a month other than October. The first came in 1918, which was played entirely in September after the regular season was cut short due to World War I.[52] The other such series was in 2001, when the September 11 attacks caused a delay in the baseball season that eventually forced the end of the World Series into November.[53]
Earlier in the season CommissionerBud Selig expressed interest in scheduling a World Series game during daylight hours instead of the evening.[54] The starting times were ultimately moved before 8p.m. ET for the first time in 30 years, but no day games were played.[55][56] The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL) played across the street from Citizens Bank Park at Lincoln Financial Field on the day of Game4. The NFL moved that game's kickoff time to 1p.m. to avoid it ending too close to the start of Game4.[57] Similarly, Game5 was played at Citizens Bank Park on the same day as the Philadelphia Flyers hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL) at the Wachovia Center. The opening faceoff of the hockey game was scheduled for 7p.m. but the NHL moved it to 5p.m. to avoid conflict.[58]
The Phillies had won the previous season's World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays for the franchise's second championship. The Yankees had lost their previous World Series appearance to the Florida Marlins in 2003 and had not won since 2000 against the New York Mets. This was the fifth Series played between teams from New York and Philadelphia, and was the first Yankees–Phillies matchup since 1950.[63] The series also was the fourth consecutive time that the Phillies would have faced a team from the current AL East in the World Series, while the Yankees had faced a NL East opponent in four of their five most recent World Series appearances.[1]
This Series had two unofficial nicknames: "Turnpike Series", for the New Jersey Turnpike, which connects New York to Philadelphia through the state of New Jersey,[32] and "Liberty Series", based on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and the Statue of Liberty in New York.[64]
Phillies starting pitcher Cliff Lee, pictured in the 2009 regular season, became the first pitcher to ever throw a postseason series opener complete game against the Yankees without allowing an earned run.
Ceremonial first pitch of the World Series with Michelle Obama, Jill Biden, and Yogi Berra watching
First LadyMichelle Obama and Second LadyJill Biden escorted former Yankees catcher and World War II veteran Yogi Berra to the mound, where the ceremonial first pitch was thrown by a veteran of the Iraq War.[71] The Phillies' Ryan Howard got the first hit of the 2009 World Series by doubling in the first inning.[72] Howard was stranded in the first and the game was scoreless after two innings.[72] The Phillies scored first with a two-out home run by Chase Utley in the top of the third inning.[72] Through the first five innings, Philadelphia starting pitcher Cliff Lee allowed no runs and three hits, striking out seven Yankees batters.[72] In the top of the sixth, Utley hit another home run to give the Phillies a 2–0 lead.[72] The starting pitchers Lee and CC Sabathia continued to pitch until the top of the eighth when Sabathia was replaced by Phil Hughes.[72] Hughes walked the first two batters and was replaced by Dámaso Marte.[72] Marte got two quick outs and was relieved by David Robertson, who walked Jayson Werth and gave up a two-run single to Raúl Ibañez.[72] The Phillies added two more runs in the ninth with an RBI single by Shane Victorino and an RBI double by Howard.[72] Lee finished with a complete game allowing one unearned run on six hits and striking out ten batters, not walking any of the hitters he faced.[72]
Lee's pitching performance made history in several ways:[73]
This was the fourth postseason start of Lee's career. In all four starts, he went at least seven innings and gave up no more than one earned run. The only other starting pitcher ever to begin his postseason career with four such starts was Christy Mathewson.
He was also the first left-handed starter to beat the Yankees in The Bronx to open a World Series since Sandy Koufax in 1963.
He was the first starting pitcher to throw a complete game without giving up an earned run against the Yankees in Game1 of a postseason series.
Lee was the first pitcher ever to strike out at least ten, walk no one, and give up no earned runs in a World Series start.
Game 2
Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, pictured during the 2007 regular season, pitched two scoreless innings in Game 2 for the save.
October 29, 2009 7:57pm (EDT) at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York 52°F (11°C), Overcast
Prior to the game, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performed the song "Empire State of Mind" for the Yankee Stadium crowd, while John Legend performed the national anthem.[74] This game marked the first postseason appearance of Pedro Martínez against the Yankees since the 2004 American League Championship Series, when he was with the Boston Red Sox and a part of the two teams' long standing rivalry; it was also the second-ever World Series start that Martínez made.[75] There was much media interest in Martínez's "return to Yankee Stadium" for Game 2, as he told reporters at a pre-game press conference "When you have 60,000 people chanting your name, waiting for you to throw the ball, you have to consider yourself someone special, someone that really has a purpose out there."[76]
The Phillies scored first for the second game in a row, with Raúl Ibañez hitting a ground rule double and then scoring on a Matt Stairs RBI single off A. J. Burnett in the second inning.[77]
Mark Teixeira tied the game with a home run in the fourth inning, and Hideki Matsui broke the tie in the sixth with another homer.[77] Martínez departed the game after giving up consecutive hits to Jerry Hairston Jr. and Melky Cabrera to start the seventh inning, and reliever Chan Ho Park gave up an RBI single to Jorge Posada.[78] With Cabrera at second base and Posada at first, Johnny Damon hit a low line drive at Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard. Howard grabbed the ball and threw to second where Posada was tagged and called out while standing on the base. First-base umpire Brian Gorman ruled that Howard had caught the ball in the air; thus, the result was an inning-ending double play. Both Posada and Joe Girardi vehemently protested the call, claiming that the batted ball had hit the ground before being caught; however, the umpires did not reverse the call. ESPN reported that Gorman blew the call.[79] This was the first of two calls made by Gorman in Game Two that were heavily criticized.[80][81][82]
Burnett left the game after seven innings, having given up one run. He was replaced by Mariano Rivera in the eighth inning.[77] With one out in the eighth, the Phillies put two runners on with a walk to Jimmy Rollins and a single by Shane Victorino.[77] However, Chase Utley grounded into an inning-ending double play[77] ending on a close play at first base. The play was the second disputed call made by umpire Brian Gorman in Game Two. Gorman himself later admitted he missed this call, saying, "on a freeze frame, it looks like there's a little bit of a ball outside [Teixeira's] glove when [Utley] hits the bag."[82] Ultimately, Rivera threw 39 pitches and got six outs for his 38th postseason save, his tenth in World Series play.[83]
The start of the game was postponed 80 minutes due to a rain delay, pushing the start time to 9:17p.m.[85]Amber Riley, accompanied by cast members of the television series Glee (Jenna Ushkowitz. Chris Colfer, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Mark Salling, Dianna Agron, and Kevin McHale) performed the national anthem, as part of a ceremony featuring a large American flag and several members of the armed services.[86][87] The Phillies scored first with Jayson Werth's lead-off home run, which was followed by a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to make the score 3–0 in the bottom of the second inning.[88] Following Mark Teixeira's walk in the top of the fourth inning, Alex Rodriguez hit a deep ball down the right field line. It was originally ruled a double so Teixeira held at third base. The play was reviewed using MLB instant replay, which revealed that the ball had struck a camera sticking over the top of the wall, so the ball was ruled a two-run home run,[89] giving Rodriguez his first World Series hit.[90] This was the first home run reviewed by instant replay in postseason play.[89] Specifically, the ball hit a camera owned by Fox and MLB which extended slightly over the right field wall.[89] The camera was moved back for Game4 such that its lens was in line with the wall.[89] Coincidentally, Alex Rodriguez also had the first regular season home run reviewed by replay.[91]
Nick Swisher opened the top of the fifth inning with a double and scored on a single to center field by Andy Pettitte.[88] This was Pettitte's first career postseason RBI and the first RBI by a Yankees pitcher in a World Series since Jim Bouton in 1964.[92] Derek Jeter followed Pettitte with another single, and both runners scored on a two-run double by Johnny Damon.[88]Cole Hamels then walked Teixeira and was relieved by J.A. Happ. Happ closed out the fifth without allowing further scoring, but Nick Swisher added to the Yankees lead with a home run off of him in the sixth.[88] Werth hit his second home run of the game leading off the bottom of the sixth to close the Yankees lead to 6–4,[88] becoming the second Phillies player to hit multiple home runs in this World Series.
Chad Durbin relieved Happ in the top of the seventh. He walked Johnny Damon, who then stole second base. Rodriguez was then hit by a pitch, and Damon scored on a single by Jorge Posada.[88] Joba Chamberlain relieved Pettitte in the bottom of the seventh and retired the side in order. Brett Myers retired the first two batters in the top of the eighth, but Hideki Matsui then hit a home run pinch hitting for Chamberlain.[93] Phil Hughes pitched a third of an inning in the bottom of the ninth and allowed a solo home run to Carlos Ruiz before being relieved by Mariano Rivera.[88] Rivera closed out the game, throwing just five pitches to record the final two outs.[88] This game was Pettitte's 17th career postseason win, extending his MLB record.[92]
Game 4
Phillies closer Brad Lidge, pictured during the 2008 regular season, allowed three runs in the ninth inning of a tied Game 4 and took the loss.
November 1, 2009 8:20pm (EST) at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 52°F (11°C), Mostly cloudy
This game marked the second time the World Series was held during November. Prior to the start of the game, Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols were named winners of the Hank Aaron Award for their offensive performances in 2009.[94] This was the first game to test manager Joe Girardi's decision to use a three-man starting rotation, as CC Sabathia started the game on three days rest, a shorter period than he normally got during the regular season.[95] Jeter led the game off with a single and advanced to third base on a double by Johnny Damon.[96] Jeter scored via a Mark Teixeira ground out and Alex Rodriguez was hit by a pitch.[96] Rodriguez was hit twice the night before and the umpires issued warnings to both benches.[97] Jorge Posada then added to the Yankees lead that inning with a sacrifice fly.[96] The Phillies answered quickly, scoring a run on successive doubles by Shane Victorino and Chase Utley in the bottom of the first.[96] Sabathia intentionally walked Jayson Werth, but escaped the inning without further scoring.[96] The Phillies tied the game in the bottom of the fourth as Ryan Howard singled, stole second, and scored on a single by Pedro Feliz.[96] Although the run counted, instant replay of Howard's slide showed that he did not touch home plate. As Sabathia threw to second base, Mike Everitt signaled that Howard was safe due to the attempted play on Feliz. Sabathia then pitched to Carlos Ruiz as part of an intentional walk, therefore losing the right to appeal that Howard missed home.[98][99]
Nick Swisher walked to lead off the fifth inning and advanced to second on a Melky Cabrera single.[96] Swisher restored the Yankees' lead, scoring on a single by Jeter, and Cabrera added to it by scoring a run on a Damon single.[96]Brett Gardner replaced Cabrera in center field as a defensive substitution in the bottom of the sixth inning after Cabrera left the game due to a hamstring injury.[100] Chan Ho Park relieved Phillies starter Joe Blanton in the seventh and held the Yankees scoreless in that inning.[96] Chase Utley hit his third home run of the series in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, bringing the game to 4–3. Dámaso Marte relieved Sabathia and got the final out of the seventh without further scoring.[96]
Ryan Madson relieved Park in the eighth and allowed a walk and a single but held the Yankees scoreless.[96] Joba Chamberlain replaced Marte in the bottom of the inning. He struck out the first two batters he faced but allowed a game-tying home run to Feliz before closing the inning.[96]
Brad Lidge came into the game for the ninth inning, popping out Matsui and striking out Jeter before surrendering a two-out single to Damon—after a nine-pitch at bat with two strikes and four foul balls.[96][101] Then, with Teixeira batting, Damon stole second and, on the same play, also stole third as the base was uncovered due to a defensive shift against Teixeira.[102] Several news outlets referred to this as a "mad dash".[103][104] Some believed that Damon's play caused Lidge to avoid throwing his best pitch—a slider with sharp downward movement—for the rest of the inning, as it risked a wild pitch that would have allowed Damon to score from third base.[105][106] Teixeira was then hit by a pitch and Rodriguez put the Yankees ahead with a double, scoring Damon.[96] Posada added to that lead with a single that scored Teixeira and Rodriguez, but was thrown out at second to end the inning.[96] Mariano Rivera entered in the bottom of the ninth and saved the game for the Yankees on eight pitches for his second save of the series.[96]
Game 5
Phillies second baseman Chase Utley, pictured during spring training in 2007, tied a World Series record with five home runs in the series.
November 2, 2009 7:57pm (EST) at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 51°F (11°C), cloudy
Canadian singer Alanis Morissette sang the national anthem. The Yankees replaced Melky Cabrera on their postseason roster with Ramiro Peña due to his injury in Game4, while Brett Gardner took Cabrera's place in center field.[107] A. J. Burnett, the Yankees' Game2 starter, started Game5 on three days rest, one less than the Phillies' Cliff Lee.[108] The Yankees scored first in the first inning, with Johnny Damon reaching base with a single and then scoring on a two-out double by Alex Rodriguez.[109] The Phillies responded in the bottom of the inning with a single by Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino reaching after being hit by a pitch, and finally a three-run home run by Chase Utley to take the lead.[109] The Phillies added to their lead in the third inning with Utley and Ryan Howard drawing walks followed by RBI singles by Jayson Werth and Raúl Ibañez.[109] With no outs in the inning, Burnett was relieved by David Robertson, who allowed another run to score on a Carlos Ruiz ground out.[109]
Robertson held the Phillies scoreless for a second inning in the fourth.[109] Jorge Posada entered as a pinch hitter in the fifth inning for José Molina and grounded out.[109]Eric Hinske then pinch hit for Robertson and walked, advanced to third on a Derek Jeter single, and scored on a ground out by Damon.[109]Alfredo Aceves entered as the new Yankee pitcher in the bottom of the fifth.[109] The first batter he faced, Jayson Werth, hit a deep drive to center field but it was caught for an out by Gardner, who collided with the outfield wall to complete the play.[109] Aceves completed the inning without a run scoring, inducing ground outs from Ibáñez and Ruiz.[109]Phil Coke relieved Aceves in the seventh inning and allowed two Phillies players to tie World Series records.[109] First, Utley tied Reggie Jackson's record for most home runs in a World Series with a home run, his fifth of the series.[110] Coke then struck out Howard, Howard's 12th strikeout in the series, tying Willie Wilson's record for most strikeouts in a World Series.[111] Finally, Coke was driven from the game after allowing another home run, this time to Ibáñez, and was relieved by Phil Hughes.[109]
Victorino was replaced defensively in the eighth inning by Ben Francisco.[109] Lee was driven from the game after allowing a single to Damon, followed by a double by Mark Teixeira, and then a double by Rodriguez that scored both runners.[109] Chan Ho Park relieved Lee and induced a ground out from Nick Swisher, which advanced Rodriguez to third base. Rodriguez scored on a sacrifice fly by Robinson Canó.[109] Ryan Madson entered in the ninth to close the game, allowing a double to Posada and a single to Hideki Matsui without recording an out.[109] Batting with men on first and third base, Jeter grounded into a double play, allowing Posada to score but emptying the bases.[109] Damon singled to bring Teixeira to bat as the potential tying run, but Madson struck him out to record his first World Series save.[109] Members of the news media, such as Gene Wojciechowski, were critical of the three-man starting rotation strategy following Game3,[45] and contended that Burnett's poor performance was caused by insufficient rest in between starts.[112] However, Burnett had been successful up to this point in such situations, going 4–0 with a 2.33 ERA in four career starts on short rest (less than the normal four days between starts) before this game.[113]
Game 6
Yankees designated hitter Hideki Matsui, pictured here in the 2007 regular season, tied a World Series record for most RBIs in a single game and won the World Series MVP award.
November 4, 2009 7:57pm (EST) at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New York 50°F (10°C), Clear
This game was the first Game6 in a World Series since the 2003 World Series six years earlier, the longest such gap in the history of the World Series.[114]Mary J. Blige, a Bronx native, performed "The Star-Spangled Banner".[115] Andy Pettitte started on three days rest, the third straight game in which the Yankees fielded a pitcher on short rest.[116] The Phillies started Pedro Martínez, who called himself and opposing pitcher Andy Pettitte "old goats" and acknowledged that Red Sox fans were rooting for him: "I know that they don't like the Yankees to win, not even in Nintendo games."[117]
The Yankees scored first with an Alex Rodriguez walk opening the bottom of the second inning followed by a two-run home run by designated hitter Hideki Matsui.[118] The Phillies quickly responded with a triple by Carlos Ruiz who then scored on a sacrifice fly from Jimmy Rollins in the top of the third.[118] Matsui answered back, adding to the Yankees lead again with a single with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third, scoring Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon.[118] Damon, injured running the bases while scoring, was replaced defensively in the top of the fourth by Jerry Hairston Jr.[118]
The Yankees celebrate their 7–3 win and the franchise's 27th World Series championship.
Phillies starter Pedro Martínez was removed after allowing four runs in four innings, relieved in the fifth by Chad Durbin.[118] Durbin allowed a ground rule double to Jeter, who advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Hairston and scored on a single by Mark Teixeira.[118] Durbin then hit Rodriguez with a pitch and was relieved by J.A. Happ after recording just one out.[118] Happ allowed a two-run double to Matsui, his fifth and sixth RBI of the game, which tied a World Series record for most RBI in a single game set by Bobby Richardson in the 1960 World Series.[119]
The Phillies made the game closer in the top of the sixth inning, as Chase Utley drew a walk and Ryan Howard followed him with a two-run home run, bringing the score to 7–3.[118] After Raúl Ibañez hit a double into right field, Joba Chamberlain relieved Andy Pettitte and closed the sixth without allowing the Phillies to score.[118] Chan Ho Park came in for Happ, ending any Yankees threat that inning.[118] Chamberlain was relieved by Dámaso Marte in the top of the seventh after allowing two baserunners, but Marte struck out Utley to end the inning scoreless.[118] After Park allowed a single to Rodriguez, Scott Eyre replaced him. Eyre allowed Rodriguez to steal second and intentionally walked Jorge Posada but escaped the inning without allowing a run.[118]
Marte recorded one out, a strikeout of Howard, in the top of the eighth inning.[118] With it Howard set a new World Series record for most strikeouts by a hitter in a single series with a total of 13.[120] After the out, Marte was relieved by Yankees closer Mariano Rivera in a non-save situation.[118] Rivera allowed a double to Ibáñez, but no runs, in the eighth.[118] After retiring the first two batters in the eighth, Eyre gave way to Ryan Madson, who allowed a single to Jeter before ending the bottom of the eighth inning.[118] Matt Stairs led off the ninth as a pinch hitter, but lined out. Ruiz worked a walk from Rivera, but successive outs by Rollins and Victorino ended the game 7–3 to clinch the World Series for the Yankees.[118] Pettitte added to his own record for most playoff wins, bringing his career total to 18.[121]
The 2009 World Series earned high television ratings. Game 1 attracted 19.5 million viewers, second only to the opening of the 2004 World Series for a series opener since 2000 and 29% higher than 2008's opening game.[130][131] Game 4 produced the highest total viewership of the series with 22.8 million viewers, the highest for any World Series game since 2004 and the highest for a "non-decisive Game 4" since 2001.[132] At 11.7 overall, the 2009 World Series was at the time the highest rated World Series since 2004 and one of the only World Series to average double digits since 2007, the other being the 2016 World Series.[133]
CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira during the victory paradeTicker-tape parade at New York City HallPresident Barack Obama meets with the 2009 World Series champion New York Yankees at the White House.
The series win brought the Yankees' franchise championship total to 27,[121][146] more than any other North American professional sports franchise. This championship came in the Yankees' first year in their new stadium. They had also won the 1923 World Series, the opening year of the previous Yankee Stadium.[147] The victory was noted by some sportswriters as a personal success for Alex Rodriguez, winning his first and only world championship and succeeding in the playoffs where some had previously claimed he was a "choker and a loser".[148][149][150] Prior to this series, Rodriguez had appeared in 2,166 regular season games without a World Series appearance, then the second-most among active players to Ken Griffey Jr.[148][150]
The Yankees' victory was credited to a number of different sources.[151] Many players drew praise for their performances, including Series MVP Hideki Matsui;[119] free agents signed the previous offseason including Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia, and A. J. Burnett;[152] and the so-called "Core Four" of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Andy Pettitte, and Jorge Posada, who had all played a large role in the Yankees' past success in the 1990s.[153][154][155] Manager Joe Girardi was also credited for his management of the team,[156] particularly in his decision to use only three starting pitchers in the Yankees postseason starting rotation.[157] The Yankees were the first team to use only three starters in a World Series since the San Diego Padres in the 1998 Series.[47]
Several members of the Yankees franchise dedicated the World Series in part to team owner George Steinbrenner, who had recently stepped back from his once prominent position with the team.[158] Steinbrenner died on the day of the All-Star Game the following season at the age of 80.[159] On November 6, a victory parade took place for the Yankees in the "Canyon of Heroes" in Manhattan, New York City.[160] The Yankees sent a group of players, coach Tony Peña, and team Senior Vice President Felix Lopez with the Commissioner's Trophy to the Dominican Republic in early January 2010 to meet with President Leonel Fernández.[161][162] Most of the 2009 Yankees received their championship rings on Opening Day the next season.[163] Matsui was on the Angels in 2010 and when the Angels played their first series of the season in the Bronx, the Yankees home opener, they presented him with his ring.[164] They also visited U.S. President Barack Obama in the White House in April 2010, presenting him with a signed jersey.[165]
The Yankees returned to the playoffs the following season, as the wild card. They lost to the Texas Rangers in the 2010 ALCS; which included an 8–0 shutout in Yankee Stadium by former Phillie ace Cliff Lee; it was Lee's seventh straight postseason win, which included three victories against the Yankees (two as a Phillie in the 2009 World Series, and in 2010 during the ALCS). The Yankees tried to acquire Lee from the Seattle Mariners during the 2010 season, but a potential trade fell through.[166] The Yankees returned to the American League Championship Series in 2012, 2017, 2019, and 2022, and 2024 losing the first four times and becoming the first team to lose five straight LCS, ultimately winning in 2024, but would go on to lose the World Series to the Dodgers. With the Yankees loss in 2024, this remains the most recent World Series championship by a team from New York City.[167]
Phillies
Following Game4, after the Yankees took a 3–1 series lead, The Philadelphia Inquirer accidentally printed a three-quarters-page Macy's advertisement congratulating the Phillies for winning the World Series, along with a picture of a Phillies championship T-shirt. The newspaper subsequently apologized for the mistake.[168]
Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated attributed Philadelphia's loss to a lack of pitching depth, noting that three different Yankees starters managed to win games in the series, while only Cliff Lee won games for the Phillies. The Phillies' 2008 postseason star pitchers, starter Cole Hamels and closer Brad Lidge, struggled in their only appearances of the 2009 World Series. The Phillies bullpen which did well in the NLCS performed poorly in the World Series, allowing seven runs in just 11+2⁄3 innings with a 5.40 ERA.[169] Jorge Arangure Jr. of ESPN partially attributed the Phillies' loss to their lack of offensive production, citing the team's .227 batting average in the World Series. Only Chase Utley performed well with 5 home runs and 22 of the Phillies' 90 bases, while Shane Victorino and Jimmy Rollins struggled at the plate, and Ryan Howard struck out a record 13 times in the World Series after his NLCS MVP performance.[170]
David Paterson ticket scandal
Among those in attendance during Game1 was New York GovernorDavid Paterson, whose party had five tickets behind home plate. On March 3, 2010, the New York Commission on Public Integrity found that Paterson had violated state laws concerning gifts to public officials, and that he lied under oath to the commission about his intent to pay for the tickets.[171] The commission further found that Paterson used his position to solicit and receive the five tickets—valued at US$425 each—free of charge from the Yankees,[172] that he had never intended to pay for the tickets despite testimony to the contrary, and that he or a person acting on his behalf wrote a backdated check to pay for them only after scrutiny in the case arose.[171][172] The Commission ultimately fined Paterson $62,125 for his actions.[173]
The 2001 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2001 season. The 97th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Arizona Diamondbacks and the three-time defending World Series champions and American League (AL) champion New York Yankees. The underdog Diamondbacks defeated the heavily favored Yankees, four games to three to win the series. Considered one of the greatest World Series of all time, its memorable aspects included two extra-inning games and three late-inning comebacks. Diamondbacks pitchers Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling were both named World Series Most Valuable Players.
The 2003 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2003 season. The 99th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Florida Marlins and the American League (AL) champion New York Yankees; the Marlins upset the heavily-favored Yankees, four games to two. The series was played from October 18 to 25, 2003. This is the most recent Series in which the losing team outscored the winning team; the Yankees lost, despite outscoring the Marlins 21–17 in the Series. This was the Marlins' second World Series championship win, having won their first in 1997. The Marlins would not return to the postseason until 2020.
Hideki Matsui, nicknamed "Godzilla", is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played baseball in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) and Major League Baseball (MLB). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Johnny David Damon is an American former professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1995 to 2012. During his MLB career, Damon played for the Kansas City Royals (1995–2000), Oakland Athletics (2001), Boston Red Sox (2002–2005), New York Yankees (2006–2009), Detroit Tigers (2010), Tampa Bay Rays (2011) and Cleveland Indians (2012). He also played for the Thailand national baseball team and was a member of the squad for the 2013 World Baseball Classic qualifiers.
Andrew Eugene Pettitte is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily for the New York Yankees. He also pitched for the Houston Astros. Pettitte won five World Series championships with the Yankees and was a three-time All-Star. He ranks as MLB's all-time postseason wins leader with 19.
The 2004 American League Championship Series was the Major League Baseball playoff series deciding the 2004 season American League champion earning the privilege to play in the 2004 World Series. A rematch of the 2003 American League Championship Series, it was played between the Boston Red Sox, who had won the AL wild card and defeated the Anaheim Angels in the American League Division Series, and the New York Yankees, who had won the AL East with the best record in the AL and defeated the Minnesota Twins. The Red Sox became the first team in MLB history to come back from a 3–0 series deficit to win a best-of-seven series. Prior to the 2004 ALCS, no MLB team had so much as forced a Game 7 under those circumstances — and only one team since 2004 has been able to do so.
Dámaso Marte Saviñón is a Dominican former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played for the Seattle Mariners (1999), Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox (2002–2005), and New York Yankees (2008–2011).
Chase Cameron Utley, is an American former professional baseball second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons, primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies. He also played for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is a six-time All-Star, won a World Series with the Phillies in 2008, and was chosen as the second baseman on the Sports Illustrated All-Decade Team for the 2000s. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Mark Charles Teixeira, nicknamed "Tex", is an American professional baseball first baseman who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and New York Yankees. Before his professional career, he played college baseball at Georgia Tech, where in 2000 he won the Dick Howser Trophy as the national collegiate baseball player of the year. One of the most prolific switch hitters in MLB history, Teixeira was an integral part of the Yankees' 27th World Series championship in 2009, leading the American League (AL) in home runs and runs batted in (RBI) while finishing second in the Most Valuable Player Award (MVP) balloting. Teixeira was a three-time All-Star, won five Gold Glove Awards and three Silver Slugger Awards, and holds the major-league record for most games with a home run from both sides of the plate, with 14. He was the fifth switch hitter in MLB history to reach 400 home runs.
The 2008 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2008 season. The 104th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the National League (NL) champion Philadelphia Phillies and the American League (AL) champion Tampa Bay Rays; the Phillies won the series, four games to one. The 2008 World Series is notable because it is the only World Series to involve a mid-game postponement and resumption.
The following are the baseball events of the year 2009 throughout the world.
The 2009 New York Yankees season was the 107th season for the New York Yankees franchise. The Yankees opened their new Yankee Stadium on April 3, 2009, when they hosted an exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs. The new stadium hosted its first regular season game on April 16, when the team played against the Cleveland Indians and their first playoff game against the Minnesota Twins in the ALDS on October 7, 2009. The Yankees swept the Twins in three games to win the divisional series. They won their 40th American League pennant on October 25, defeating the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 6 games to advance to the World Series, where they defeated the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies in six games to win their 27th World Series title on November 4. The Yankees finished the regular season with 103 wins and 59 losses, the best record in the majors.
The Philadelphia Phillies' 2009 season was the 127th season in the history of the franchise. The team, managed by Charlie Manuel, began their sixth season at Citizens Bank Park and defense of their 2008 World Series championship on April 5. After collecting a third straight National League East championship, the Phillies won their second consecutive National League pennant for the first time in franchise history; however they were defeated by the New York Yankees in the World Series.
The 2009 American League Championship Series (ALCS), the second round of the 2009 American League playoffs, was a best-of-seven-game series matching the two winners of the 2009 American League Division Series. The AL East Division champions, the New York Yankees, defeated the AL West Division champions, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, four games to two, to advance to the 2009 World Series, their first since 2003. This was the third time that these two teams faced each other in the playoffs. They met in the 2002 ALDS and 2005 ALDS with the Angels winning both series by 3–1 and 3–2.
The 2009 National League Championship Series (NLCS) was a best-of-seven baseball game series pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League Championship and the right to represent the National League in the 2009 World Series. The Phillies defeated the Dodgers four games to one. Los Angeles, whose NL-best 95–67 record topped Philadelphia's 93–69 record, retained home-field advantage. The series, the 40th in league history, began on October 15 and finished on October 21. TBS carried the championship on television.
The 2009 American League Division Series (ALDS) consisted of two concurrent best-of-five game series that determined the participating teams in the 2009 American League Championship Series. Three divisional winners and a "wild card" team played in the two series. The ALDS began on Wednesday, October 7, 2009, and ended on Sunday, October 11, 2009. The matchups were:
The 2010 American League Championship Series (ALCS) was the best-of-seven-game series pitting the winners of the 2010 American League Division Series for the American League Championship. The American League wild card-winning New York Yankees faced the American League West Division champions Texas Rangers. The Rangers won the 2010 ALCS and faced the National League champion San Francisco Giants in the 2010 World Series, the franchise's first ever appearance in the World Series, but would go on to lose to the Giants in five games. The series, the 41st in league history, began October 15 and ended on October 22. The Rangers had home field advantage in the series, as the wild-card team defers home field advantage in the LDS and LCS regardless of regular-season record.
The 2012 American League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the New York Yankees against the Detroit Tigers for the American League pennant and the right to play in the 2012 World Series. The series, the 43rd in league history, began on Saturday, October 13 in New York and ended on Thursday, October 18 in Detroit. The Tigers swept the Yankees, winning the series 4–0. TBS televised all games in the United States. In global markets, MLB International broadcast the ALCS in its entirety, with long-time Baltimore Orioles announcer Gary Thorne and ESPN's Rick Sutcliffe calling the games.
The 2022 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 2022 season. The 118th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between the American League (AL) champion Houston Astros and the National League (NL) champion Philadelphia Phillies. The Astros defeated the Phillies in six games to earn their second World Series championship. The series was broadcast in the United States on Fox television and ESPN Radio.
The 2022 Major League Baseball postseason was the playoff tournament of Major League Baseball (MLB) for the 2022 season. This was the first edition of the postseason since 2012 to have a new format, as it has been expanded to include six teams per league. The top two division winners of the American and National leagues receive first-round byes into the Division Series, and the worst-division winner is the third seed in their respective league. The three Wild Card teams are the fourth, fifth, and sixth seeds. The third seed hosts the sixth seed, and the fourth seed does the same with the fifth seed in the best-of-three Wild Card series. The postseason started on Friday, October 7, two days after the end of the regular season.
↑ Kepner, Tyler (October 20, 2019). "For the Yankees, Good Is Not Good Enough in the Age of the Astros". The New York Times. Retrieved October 27, 2019. The Yankees won the World Series in 2009, but the 2010s will end without a pennant, the first time that has happened since the 1910s.
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