World series: Lee baffles Yankees

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Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee delivers a pitch in the sixth inning of Game 1 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night. AP photo

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NEW YORK (AP) — Look out for Cliff Lee, Chase Utley and this New Red Machine.

Lee outdueled CC Sabathia, Utley homered twice and the Philadelphia Phillies kept rolling through October, beating the New York Yankees 6-1 on a misty Wednesday night in the World Series opener.

The defending champion Phillies shut down Alex Rodriguez & Co. in the first Series game at the new billion-dollar Yankee Stadium. Trying to become the first NL team to repeat since Cincinnati in 1975-76, the Phils’ 17-4 postseason run is the best in league history.

Big Red Machine, meet your match.

Game 2 is Thursday night, with wily Pedro Martinez pitching for the Phillies against jumpy A.J. Burnett.

Ryan Howard reprised his MVP performance, doubling twice and driving in the final run for the Phillies. Rodriguez, however, went hitless and struck out three times in his Series debut.

Lee bamboozled the Yankees with a spiked curveball, deceptive changeup and his usual pinpoint fastball, pitching a six-hitter while striking out 10 without a walk.

Lee blanked the Yankees until a run scored on shortstop Jimmy Rollins’ throwing error in the ninth inning. The lefty improved to 3-0 with an 0.54 ERA this postseason.

He really seemed to enjoy himself, too.

If Lee felt any nerves in his Series debut, facing the team that led the majors in wins, homers and runs, it didn’t show. And if the Phillies were supposed to be intimidated of the pictures of Babe Ruth and all the Yankees greats on the giant videoboard, it didn’t happen.

Pitching in short sleeves on a blustery evening, Lee worked a wad of gum while he worked his spell over the Yanks. He stuck out his glove hand for a ho-hum catch on Johnny Damon’s popup that left the Phillies chuckling, shrugged after a nifty, behind-the-back stop on Robinson Cano’s one-hopper and casually tagged out Jorge Posada on a comebacker.

Lee beat his good friend and former Cy Young teammate Carsten Charles Sabathia in the first game at this ballpark back in April, and got this chance after the Phillies traded four minor leaguers to Cleveland in July to get him.

Playing in their 40th World Series, and first in six years, the Yankees went quietly.

Utley’s solo home runs in the third and sixth innings gave Lee all the support he needed.

The Phillies’ may have been a bit overdue — in their only other October meeting, the Whiz Kids from Philadelphia got swept by the Yankees in the 1950 World Series and totaled just five runs.

Even though he’s an All-Star, Utley was an unlikely candidate to rock Sabathia, the MVP of the ALCS. Utley was 0 for 7 with five strikeouts against the big Yankees lefty going into the game.

Utley won a nine-pitch duel with Sabathia in the third, pulling a 95 mph fastball over the right-field wall. The shot was the first by a left-hander allowed by Sabathia at home this year.

Utley struck again in the sixth, sending another 95 mph heater deep into the right-center field bleachers.

Phillies manager Charlie Manuel had little to do except watch from the top step of the dugout. Yankees manager Joe Girardi was more busy, bringing in five relievers after Sabathia left following the seventh inning.

Tags: world series, sports, mlb, baseball, phillies, yankees