Spring Break
Yankees win in six to make it 27
Alex Falk
Issue date: 11/6/09 Section: Sports
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The New York Yankees won their 27th World Series championship in franchise history, beating the Phillies in six games.
Hideki Matsui, New York's designated hitter, was named World Series Most Valuable Player after driving in six runs in Game 6, the deciding game of the Fall Classic.
Another story line was Alex Rodriguez, who seemed to have made a semi-permanent home on the back pages of New York's highest-circulated tabloids.
Rodriguez, considered by some to be one of the greatest statistical players to ever play the game, used this postseason to shake his reputation as "playoff goat." He hit six home runs and had 18 RBI.
Mariano Rivera all but cemented himself as the greatest closer ever by getting the final out in the World Series for the fourth time in his legendary career.
Although the Yankees won the series, the Phillies still won two games.
Chase Utley hit five home runs in the Fall Classic, tying Reggie Jackson's record.
Cliff Lee went 5-0 with a 1.56 ERA and two complete games in the playoffs and was almost unstoppable.
But that was it.
Slugger Ryan Howard did manage a home run late in Game 6, but it was too little, too late as he was mired in an extremely long slump that included a World Series record 13 strikeouts.
Once again, Phillies fans find themselves with that uncomfortable feeling of "there's always next year."
This loss also leaves fans wondering, can the Phillies come back from this or will they go into another 28-year slump before they get any sliver of hope.
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