Jayson Werth walked on five pitches with two outs. (Pettitte wanted no part of the right-handed hitting Werth.) Raul Ibanez then drew a five-pitch walk, bringing Pedro Feliz to the plate. Feliz hit .336 with runners in scoring position during the regular season. He worked the count full before grounding to third to end the threat. On the previous pitch, Pettitte thought he had Feliz struck out on a back-door breaking ball. As he left the mound, he approached home-plate umpire West and could clearly be seen saying, "Can I ask you where that pitch is?" Replays showed the pitch to be just off the plate.
Inside the Game: Pedro had passion - not much else
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Small consolation
Ryan Howard was just 4 for 23 in the Series and he struck out 13 times. He hit a two-run homer off Pettitte in the sixth to make it a 7-3 game, but the Phils got no closer against Pettitte, who stayed on for two more batters, before handing off to the bullpen.
Yanks relievers pitched 31/3 scoreless innings. Closer extraordinaire Mariano Rivera got the final five outs for his 12th career World Series save.
Handling Utley
Victimized for five home runs in the first five games by Chase Utley, the Yankees knew they had to find a way to stop the Phils' No. 3 hitter. Pettitte pounded Utley inside with fastballs and got him to hit into a double play in the first inning.
Utley had a chance to do some damage with two outs and two men on base in the seventh, but he went down on three pitches by lefty reliever Damaso Marte. Marte went fastball, curveball, slider in getting Utley on a check swing.
Final word
The Yankees have won 27 World Series. They are 6-2 when playing the defending champion.
Contact staff writer Jim Salisbury at 215-854-4983 or jsalisbury@phillynews.com
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