This was an ace in Game 1 of the World Series in baseball's newest, costliest castle, for sport's biggest, winningest franchise against the most dangerous offense in a decade.
This was seven solid innings, four measly hits, three harmless walks, six strikeouts.
On a chilly, wet night, this was 113 pitches, 70 of them strikes, all of them crisp.
Two of which he wishes he could have back.
Chase Utley homered twice.
"The first one, he had a good at-bat," Sabathia said. "The second one, it was a fastball. Right down the middle."
Those two runs were all of the damage in the biggest start of Sabathia's career. This was the start where he proves his worth, where he starts painting the trim on what could be a remarkable legacy.
The Yankees lost, 6-1. Sabathia lost, 2-0.
The last time Sabathia, a breathing contradiction - imposing but affable, lefthanded but powerful - had a chance to paint against the Phillies in the postseason, things went much worse.
In 2008, in Game 2 of the National League Division Series against Milwaukee, after consecutive one-out doubles tied the game at 1-1 in the second inning, a two-out, nine-pitch walk to pitcher Brett Myers caused Sabathia's collapse. He gave up another walk, and Shane Victorino hit a grand slam.
Sabathia, pitching on 3 days' rest, remained in the game through two outs in the fourth, when he reloaded the bases and finally left, heroic, but beaten.
There was none of that flavor last night. He pitched on 7 days' rest.
And he was good. Utley was better.
In the first inning, Utley had worked back from a 1-2 count to draw a walk. He was seeing Sabathia well.
It was 1-2 again in the fourth then 2-2, then, three foul balls and a ball-three later, bang.
"I was trying to put him away," said Sabathia, who fed Utley sliders that he spoiled until Utley reached for the fastball that flew. "He fouled off a lot of pitches."
