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The New York Yankees celebrate winning the 2009 Major League Baseball World Series - Source: Reuters -
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The New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 to win
the World Series on Wednesday, the Bronx Bombers ending a nine-year
wait for a 27th title with a 4-2 series victory over the defending
champions.
Hideki Matsui was named Most Valuable Player after batting .615
with three home runs and eight RBIs over the series, the Japanese
slugger driving in six runs in Wednesday's clincher to tie the
World Series record for most RBIs in one game.
Matsui's virtuoso performance matched the mark set by Yankee second
baseman Bobby Richardson in 1960.
In becoming the first Japanese player to win World Series MVP
honours, Matsui belted a two-run homer, and hit a two-run double
and two-run single to lead New York to the championship in their
first season at the new Yankee Stadium.
Andy Pettitte, pitching on three days' rest, registered the win for
his second victory of the series, extending his major league record
for career postseason wins to 18.
When closer Mariano Rivera got Shane Victorino to ground to second
for the final out, the Yankees poured into the middle of the
diamond for a group hug and circled the outfield holding
championship banners aloft to salute the crowd of more than
50,000.
Matsui Shocked
Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig presented the
championship trophy. "This is their 27th World Series championship,
the most in American sports. Congratulations to the New York
Yankees," he said.
The crowd roared in approval when Selig announced Matsui as MVP of
the series.
"It's awesome," Matsui said through an interpreter after receiving
the MVP trophy. "It's just unbelievable. I'm surprised
myself.
"All I can say right now is I feel great."
Matsui put the Yankees in front 2-0 in the second inning with a
towering two-run homer into the second deck in right field beyond
the Komatsu sign, taken out by the Japanese manufacturer of
construction and mining machinery.
The designated hitter made it 4-1 in the third with a two-run
single with the bases loaded off starter and loser Pedro
Martinez.
Matsui capped off his extraordinary night with a long double to
right-center for two more runs in the fifth that gave New York a
cushion protected by relievers Joba Chamberlain, Damaso Marte and
Rivera, who registered the last five outs.
More to follow...
