By Michael P. Ventura
DNAinfo Associate Editor
MANHATTAN — The Yankees took a 2-1 lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in a rain-delayed game Saturday night with an 8-5 win that saw A-Rod break his World Series drought with a controverisal two-run homer.
With the Yankees down 3-0 in the top of the fourth inning, Rodriguez swung and struck a pitch by Cole Hamels. The hit appeared destined for out of the park, but it struck a television camera and bounced back, leading to a replay review by the umpires.
A ruling in favor of the Yankee's led to an erruption of Phillies fans at Citizen Bank Park.
“It was tough to see from where we were,” Yankee outfielder Nick Swisher told the Times, who also snapped out of a hitting slump with a home run.
“But then some guys were running up in the tunnel saying, ‘Hey, it hit the camera! It hit the camera!’”
Prior to the game, which was delayed roughly 80 minutes as a storm blew over Philadelphia, Rodriguez was hitless in his first nine World Series at-bats.
The Phillies got on the board early, scoring three runs off Pettitte in the second with a home run by Jayson Werth, two walks, and a sacrifice bunt by pitcher Cole Hammels that turned into a hit.
“It was a battle tonight, I wasn’t able to get the breaking ball over,” Pettitte told the New York Post. “It was a grind tonight. I can’t remember winning a (post-season) game when I struggled like I did tonight.”
Pettitte settled down after that, though, and only gave up one more hit to the last 17 batters he faced. He also helped himself in the fifth, tying the game with a single.
It was a New York v. Philadelphia weekend as the Knicks dropped their home opener at Madison Square Garden to the Sixers and the Giants face the Eagles in Philadelphia at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Game 4 of the World Series is Sunday night and the Yankees will send ace CC Sabathia to the mound on three days rest. The Phillies counter with their fourth starter, Joe Blanton. Sabathia took the loss in Game 1.
“They’ve got CC, but oh well,” said Phillies centerfielder Shane Victorino, according to the Times. “We got him in Game 1. Why can’t we do it again?”
