NEW YORK, NY -- A Japanese import has helped the New York Yankees drive to the top of the baseball world once again with their 27th World Series title.
Designated hitter Hideki Matsui (hih-DEK'-ee mat-SOO'-ee) tied a 49-year-old World Series record by driving in six runs and the Yankees eliminated defending World Series champion Philadelphia 7-3 in Game 6. Matsui homered, doubled and singled his first three times up before the Phils finally retired him in the seventh inning on a strikeout.
Matsui connected on a two-run homer off the Phils losing pitcher, 38-year-old Pedro Martinez in the second inning. Matsui hit three home runs in this World Series, two against Martinez, who lasted four innings, giving up four runs on four hits.
The Yanks added two more in the third when Matsui lined a two-out, bases-loaded single to make it 4-1. He added a two-run double in the fifth when the Yanks scored three more to make it 7-1.
In the Series, Matsui was 8-for-13 with three homers and eight RBIs. His six RBIs in this game tied Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson's one-game World Series record set in Game 3 in 1960 against Pittsburgh.
The winning pitcher was 37-year-old veteran Andy Pettitte. Pitching on three days rest, Pettitte went five and two-thirds innings, allowing three runs on four hits. Pettitte, the winningest postseason pitcher ever, won four games in this postseason. He got the victory in all three Yankee clinchers in the posteason, against the Twins, Angels and Phillies.
Yankee closer Mariano Rivera got the final five outs to touch off the wild celebration in the Bronx. It's the Yanks' first championship since 2000.
