By Jim Scott
DNAinfo Associate Editor
The Yankees are just going to have to win the World Series back home in the Bronx.
Chase Utley hit a pair of home runs to tie a World Series record and kept the Philadelphia Phillies championship hopes alive in an 8-6 win over the Bombers in Game 5 at Citizens Bank Park on Monday.
“I’m not that disappointed because I might have tickets to Game 6,” said Yankees fan Andrea Cristal, 31, of the West Village, after watching the game at The Stumble Inn at 76th and 2nd Avenue.
A.J. Burnett started after three days rest for the Yankees and it was apparent right away it wasn't going to be his night. Utley clobbered the first pitch he saw for a three-run homer in the first inning and the Phillies tacked on three more runs in the third to chase the right hander out of the game.
“If we would have pitched today, we probably would have won,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “That’s the bottom line.”
Burnett struggled with his control, walking four batters and allowed four hits in two innings of work as New York's World Series lead shrunk to 3-2.
Utley added a solo home run off lefty Phil Coke in the seventh to give him five home runs in the series, tying him with Reggie Jackson for the most homers in a World Series.
"Obviously it's great company," said Utley, who has eight RBIs in the series. "At some point, but not right now, maybe I'll look back on it and see what kind of special moment it is. But right now our goal it to win two more games."
Jackson hit five home runs for the Yankees, including three in the deciding Game 6 of the 1977 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Utley's big offensive night gave Phillies starter Cliff Lee breathing room as the earned his second win of the series despite not having his best stuff.
"The offense scored plenty of runs to make things a little easier on me," Lee said.
Lee, who dominated the Yankees in Game 1 of the series, gave up five runs and seven hits over seven innings.
The Bronx Bombers jumped out to a 1-0 lead after Alex Rodriguez hit a run-scoring double in the the first inning off the southpaw. Rodriguez drove in two more runs with another RBI double off Lee in the eighth inning.
New York rallied in the ninth against reliever Ryan Madson.
Jorge Posada led off the inning with a double off the right field wall and Hideki Matsui followed with a pinch hit single. The rally was thwarted when Derek Jeter grounded into a double play, which scored Posada from third. Mark Teixeira struck out to end the game after a Johnny Damon single with two outs.
The Yankees, who have won the series all eight previous times they took a 3-1 lead, will try to close out title No. 27 on Wednesday night in the Bronx.
Andy Pettitte will pitch on short rest for New York. Pettitte has won a major league record 18 postseason games in his career.
The 37-year-old lefty was touched up for four runs in a 8-5 win over Philadelphia in Game 3 on Saturday.
Pettitte will face off against Phillies righty Pedro Martinez. Martinez, 38, gave up three runs and struck out eight in six innings of a 3-1 loss at Yankee Stadium in Game 2 last Thursday.
"He's ready to go," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said about Martinez. "I expect something similar to what he gave us the other night."
