Game Two

By Tom Renbarger

For the third time this postseason, Andy Pettitte took the mound with the Yankees down 1-0, and for the third time Pettitte gave New York a much-needed lift in their quest for their fifth world title in eight years, and 27th overall. Pettitte led the Yanksto a 6-1 Game 2 win, allowing an unearned run in the ninth, giving New York 8 2/3strong innings on three days rest.

The tone of the game was set in the first inning. Pettitte was extended to a full count by each of the first three Marlins hitters. Luis Castillo, having reached on an infield hit, broke late on Pudge's payoff pitch, resulting in a K-CS double play to end the inning. Then in the bottom half of the frame, Mark Redman, starting on three days rest after being knocked out after three innings Wednesday night against the Cubs, hit Jason Giambi and allowed Bernie Williams a single with two outs. Redman then fell behind Hideki Matsui 3-0 before serving up a get-me-over fastball. Suffice to say that Matsui had the green light, taking full advantage of it by depositing the meatball over Juan Pierre's head in dead center. 3-0 Yanks after one.

After being stretched to 22 pitches to get out of the first, Pettitte completed the second through fourth in 20. He sandwiched four-pitch second and fourth innings around a 12-pitch effort in the third in which he struck out the side. Pettitte's breeze through these innings really put the clamps on any thoughts of a comeback that the Marlins might have entertained.

Meanwhile, the Yankees' offense was busy doubling the first-inning lead they gave to Pettitte. Juan Rivera doubled home Nick Johnson in the second, though he was pegged at third by Pudge for the second out. Alfonso Soriano then uncorked a two-out, two-run homer off Marlins' reliever Rick Helling in the fourth, really no more than a flick of the wrists on a limp slider. Six-zip through four.

Pettitte managed to work through the Marlins getting their leadoff hitter on in each inning from the fourth through the eighth. In the four-pitch fourth, Juan Pierre ledoff with a bunt single up the first base line but was cut down at second after a diving stab of a Luis Castillo grounder to third by Aaron Boone. Soriano barely managedto keep his foot on second after Boone's throw from his knees nearly pulled him off. Pudge then grounded into a 6-4-3 on the first pitch. In the top of the seventh, a leadoff single by Rodriguez was erased on a 5-4-3 by Miguel Cabrera, though the ball clearly hit Cabrera's foot. This probably doesn't affect the outcome, but a correct call might have forced the Yankees to their bullpen a little earlier than the last out of the game. Derek Lee singled in a run with two outs in the ninth, spoiling Pettitte's shutout bid and prompting Yankee manager Joe Torre to bring in Jose Contreras to get the last out.

Game 4 starter Carl Pavano worked the seventh inning, in a somewhat curious move by Florida manager Jack McKeon. If Pavano was to have worked in Game 2, it should have been as starter. Pavano nearly matched Mark Prior pitch for pitchfor 5 2/3 in Game 6 of the NLCS. He would have been working on four days rest, and certainly has more recent success to build on than Game 7 NLCS punching bag Mark Redman. An inning of relief simply gives New York a preview of Game 4.

Still, having been outscored 8-4 in New York, the Marlins have to feel happy with a split in Yankee Stadium, and red hot Josh Beckett primed to pitch Game 3 at ProPlayer Stadium. His matchup with Mike Mussina, with both teams finally having a chance to rest, should be a real treat.