NEW YORK -- Besides the usual info contained in the New York Yankees scouting report on Chase Utley were these two nuggets:
- Isn't running well, may be hurt.
- Run everything out, having trouble making throws to first.
Utley did have Steve Sax-like problems throwing against the Los Angeles Dodgers and he may have a sore heel (leg, groin) whatever.
The Yankees now know this, there is nothing wrong with his home run trot. Or his swing.
Pretty good company
Utley came into the stadium Babe Ruth didn't build and hit two CC Sabathia fastballs through a light rain and into the New York night as the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Yanks 6-1. Utley became the first left-handed hitter to homers twice off a lefty since Ruth did so in Game 4 of the 1928 Series against Bill Sherdel of the St. Louis Cardinals.
"I guess that's pretty good company," Utley said.
Lefty Cliff Lee made sure the Phillies won the opener of the 105th World Series before 50,207.
And now Yankee fans, without a Series win since 2000, turn their lonely eyes to A.J. Burnett, noted big gamer, who allowed four runs on his first 12 pitches in his previous start against the Los Angeles Angels to avoid going to Philadelphia down 2-0 in the best-of-seven Series.
"When I managed Kirby Puckett in the minors I thought he was the all-time best when it came to player who put the team first and wanted to win," Charlie Manuel had said in the past. "And then along came Utley."
Utley, who finally admitted he had a hip problem half way through last off-season surgery
"The majority of time with two strikes I try to shorten up, that's not always the way it works out," Utley said. "I was trying to lay off his slider and hit his fastball. You can't miss those pitches against that type of pitcher."
It was still Utley 2, Yanks 0 until the eighth when the Phillies scored four times off the soft Yanks bullpen.
Sabathia had trouble with Utley all night. Utley fell behind 1-2 and wound up working a walk.
Sabathia was ahead 1-2 on Utley in the third and hit a hit a solo homer down the right-field line on the ninth pitch of the at-bat, a 3-2 count.
He hit an 0-2 mighty blow to right centre in the fifth
Utley became the second player in 45 years to homer in Game 1 of two consecutive Series. The other? Ex-Jay Fred McGriff with the 1995-96 Atlanta Braves. He was the third Phillie to have a multi-homer game in the Series joining Ryan Howard in Game 4 in 2008 and Lenny Dykstra in Game 4 of 2003 against the Blue Jays. Dykstra homered off Todd Stottlemyre and Al Leiter helping the Phillies to a 14-9 lead as the Jays roared back with six in the eighth for a 15-14 win.
"With an offence like we have you can make a couple of mistakes, but I try not to think that you have it figured out," said Lee who dominated the Bronx Bombers. He pitched a complete-game six hitter, allowing an unearned run.
And he caught Johnny Damon's soft jam shot below his shoulder, which could be translated into a showboat move, mocking the Yanks.
"I guess it was cool, the ball was hit right to me, 15 feet in the air," said Lee.
He stabbed Robinson Cano's comebacker behind his back. And before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out the key to Alex Rodriguez's condo ...
Lee struck out 10 and didn't walk a man.
bob.eliott@sunmedia.ca
