New York Yankees Win the World Series

Matsui Ties Series Record with 6 RBIs, Yankees Top Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6

(AP)  Paint the town in pinstripes! Nearly a decade after their dynasty ended on a blooper in the desert, the New York Yankees are baseball's best again.

Hideki Matsui tied a World Series record with six RBIs, Andy Pettitte won on short rest and New York beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 in Game 6 on Wednesday night, finally seizing that elusive 27th title. It was the team's first since winning three straight from 1998-2000.

Matsui, the Series MVP, powered a quick rout of old foe Pedro Martinez. And when Mariano Rivera got the final out, it was ecstasy in the Bronx for George Steinbrenner's go-for-broke bunch.

What a way for Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and crew to christen their $1.5 billion ballpark: One season, one championship for the franchise with more titles than any other in pro sports.

And to think it capped a season that started in turmoil - a steroids scandal involving A-Rod, followed by hip surgery that kept him out until May.

"My teammates and organization stood right next to me," Rodriguez said. "We're going to enjoy it, and we're going to party!"

Go to CBSSports.com for more analysis of the World Series:

Yankees Hit Jackpot
Phillies Fail to Show Last Year's Talent
Matsui Enters Yankee Lore

During postgame ceremonies on the field, the big video board in center flashed: "Boss, this is for you." And commissioner Bud Selig dedicated the moment to Steinbrenner.

About 100 miles south, disappointment.

For Chase Utley and the Phillies, it was a frustrating end to another scintillating season. Philadelphia fell two wins short of becoming the first NL team to repeat as World Series champions since the 1975-76 Cincinnati Reds.

Ryan Howard's sixth-inning homer came too late to wipe away his World Series slump, and Phillies pitchers rarely managed to slow Matsui and the Yankees' machine.

Watch the Yankees celebration parade on CBSNews.com 11 a.m. EDT Friday.

In a fitting coincidence, this championship came eight years to the day after the Yankees lost Game 7 of the 2001 World Series in Arizona on Luis Gonzalez's broken-bat single off Rivera.

New York spent billions trying to get back. At long last, it did.

"We're looking forward to this parade," Jeter said.

Hey Babe and Yogi, Mr. October and Joltin' Joe - you've got company. Mark Teixeira, CC Sabathia and a new generation of Yankees have procured their place in pinstriped lore.

And for the four amigos, it was ring No. 5.

Jorge Posada, Jeter, Pettitte and Rivera came up together through the minors and were cornerstones for those four titles in five years starting in 1996.

Now, all on the other side of age 35, they have another success to celebrate. And surely they remember the familiar parade route, up Broadway through the Canyon of Heroes.

Indeed, a New York City-sized party is next. Nine years in the making, with all the glitz and glamour this tony town can offer.

"You never know when you're going to get back here," Posada said.

Carrying flags that read 2009 World Series champions, Joba Chamberlain and Nick Swisher led a victory lap around the warning track. Players high-fived fans, then sprayed bubby behind the mound.

For the 79-year-old Steinbrenner, who has been in declining health, it was the seventh championship since he bought the team in 1973.

Though he stayed back home in Tampa, Fla., he certainly wasn't forgotten. The grounds crew wore "Win it for The Boss" shirts last week, which were on sale outside the ballpark Wednesday.

New York wasted its chance to wrap things up in Game 5 at Philadelphia, then set its sights on clinching the World Series at home for the first time since 1999.

While nine years between titles is hardly a drought for most teams, it was almost an eternity in Yankeeland.

New York's eight seasons without a championship was the third-longest stretch for the Yankees since their first one, following gaps of 17 (1979-95) and 14 (1963-76).

Reggie Jackson's three homers in Game 6 against the Los Angeles Dodgers made the Yankees champs in '77. On this November night, Matsui delivered a sublime performance at the plate that must have made Mr. October proud.

Playing perhaps his final game with the Yankees, Matsui hit a two-run homer off Martinez in the second inning and a two-run single on an 0-2 pitch in the third.

A slumping Teixeira added an RBI single in the fifth off reliever Chad Durbin, and Matsui cracked a two-run double off the right-center fence against lefty J.A. Happ.

A designated hitter with balky knees, Matsui came off the bench in all three games at Philadelphia. Still, he had a huge Series, going 8 for 13 (.615) with three homers and eight RBIs. His go-ahead shot off an effective Martinez in Game 2 helped the Yankees tie it 1-all.

Bobby Richardson was the only other player with six RBIs in a World Series game, doing it for the Yankees in Game 3 against Pittsburgh in 1960. Richardson had a first-inning grand slam and a two-run single in the fourth.

Matsui's big hits built a comfortable cushion for a feisty Pettitte, who shouted at plate umpire Joe West while coming off the field in the fourth. Still, Pettitte extended major league records with his 18th postseason win and sixth to end a series.

The 37-year-old left-hander, pitching on three days' rest, became the first pitcher to start and win the clincher in all three postseason rounds. He beat Minnesota and the Los Angeles Angels in the AL playoffs.

Pettitte lasted 5 2-3 innings, allowing three runs, four hits and five walks. Chamberlain and Damaso Marte combined for 1 2-3 innings of scoreless relief before Rivera secured the final five outs.

It had been nearly a half-century since players had won five titles with one team. The last to do it? Of course a bunch of Yankees: Yogi Berra (10 titles), Mickey Mantle (seven) and Whitey Ford (six) in 1962, according to STATS LLC.

For Joe Girardi, a three-time Yankees champion as a player, it was the fulfillment of a mission. When he succeeded Joe Torre in October 2007, Girardi chose uniform No. 27, putting his quest on his back for all to see. His tenure didn't start out so well, with New York missing the playoffs in its final season at old Yankee Stadium following 13 consecutive appearances.

Steinbrenner's well-paid players hadn't soaked themselves in bubbly after the season since Bernie Williams gloved Mike Piazza's midnight flyout at Shea Stadium to win the 2000 Subway Series and cap the Yankees' third straight championship and fourth in five years.

Two outs from winning in 2001, the Yankees stumbled in the desert. New York then spent more than $1.6 billion after that trying to regain glory, falling short with infamous flops such as Kevin Brown, Javier Vazquez and Carl Pavano.

But last offseason the Yankees got smart, adding a trio of top free agents - Teixeira, Sabathia and A.J. Burnett - for $423.5 million. They jelled with Rodriguez, the game's highest-paid player but a winner for the first time in 16 major league seasons.

A-Rod became a newly minted champion following a sordid spring in which he admitted using steroids from 2001-03 with Texas and then needed hip surgery.

Maybe now, demanding fans in the Bronx will consider him a true Yankee.

[hungry1968-17]

Who cares?

Baseball has been ruined forever by the steroid junkies and multi-billion dollar payrolls.

[democracy1]

Damon showed true class when he called my nephew to speak with him after the kid's 2nd heart transplant last year. For that reason alone, I will always root for the Yanks as long as he is on their team. Thanks, Johnny!

[PaGuy1960]

Funny how last year when the phils beat a team that had a payroll of about 50 million to their 100 million plus it was ok.. Now the shoe is on the other foot and philly dopesn;t like it so much.. Philly fans are pitiful but their even bigger cry babies.

[rbgaz12]

I'm not a Yankees fan for several reasons, but what irks me the most is..HEY Matsui, LEARN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE!!!!!!! Here's a guy with the Yankees for how many years??? And paid how many millions??? And the idiot still can't learn our language?? How disgusting!!!!

[jazzer01]

Thats right. We should all stop using money! Why don't you go to your mortgage holder, explain to them that you think it's not fair that they have so much cash, tell them you will not pay your mortgage, receive a big hug, shake hands, pick out a toaster, live a happy life with your head in the sand. Yo, grow up!

GOOOOOOO Bombers!!!!!

[gocubs58]

The Yanks - who cares. Baseball needs a salary cap.

[rmm26a]

This championship should not even count! At the very least Yankee fans should feel no satisfaction with this win. The Yankees just bought this World Series team. The team has 2 admitted cheaters (A-Rod and Pettite) and 2 of the biggest ****** bags in baseball (A-Rod and Teixeira). These aren't guys you can really root for. This Yankee team is a disgrace to some of the great Yankee teams of the past. These Yankees are pretty much the reason baseball is starting to suck. By the way, the new Yankee Stadium is a huge piece of crap.

[Empire-George]

by rmm26a November 5, 2009 11:51 AM EST

By the way, the new Yankee Stadium is a huge piece of crap.
________

This was some of the best baseball I have seen in my lifetime, so baseball only sucked to jealous haters such as yourself.....secondly, have you been to the new stadium ? I have (these playoffs)....and it was amazing....like looking out at life in High-Definition, that's the only way I could desribe the ballpark

[PaGuy1960]

Do i detect a bitter Phillies fan?

[Empire-George]

by hockeymom441 November 5, 2009 10:35 AM EST

This guy can just practice batting all day long.
____________

again, stick to hockey.....let me inform you a bit...Matsui, although he is a DH, at any time could be called from the bench to play left field, if needed...so he doesn't "practice batting all day"....how utterly naive

[SeektheTruth]

Congratulations yankees and yankees fans... You again are the best world series champions a $200,000,000 payroll can buy. Enjoy... Until there is true revenue sharing in major league baseball, it will continue to be a big farce... and the rest of the country who avidly follow and support their smaller market teams will become more and more disillusioned with what was once America's favorite pasttime... Why do the Yankees need a good farm system when they have the Texas Rangers as their farm team????

[tdentino]

Love those Damm Yankees

[hockeymom441]

No doubt matsui batted well... just seems strange to me that a DH is MVP... I think the whole disparity of DH in the leagues is not fair. This guy can just practice batting all day long...

Yes the yanks have more money... but until morons stop paying so much for seats... they'll keep doing it. supply/demand - econ101. More power to them.

My only beef is that they let a steroid head play; how pathetic and sad that we continue to emulate losers who cheat.

[Empire-George]

by hockeymom441 November 5, 2009 10:35 AM EST

Obviously, you are watching Hockey, and not Baseball, because the "Steriod head" you are talking about, happened a decade ago, before the substances were banned....how pathetic are you to even suggest a steroid head was playing, when all players are rigorously tested repeatedly....go watch hockey mom

[Empire-George]

by wadyaknow November 5, 2009 10:10 AM EST
Bloomberg and the Yankees - New York democracy and sports in action. $$$$$$$$
____________

Bloomberg is never seen at the stadium, the only time I see him is during the playoffs for a photo op....Gulianni, now that's a true Yankee fan

[Empire-George]

by briannorwood November 5, 2009 9:54 AM EST
Couldn't agree more. As a Pittsburgh Pirate fan, I am sick and tired of the same teams being in the playoffs year after year.
____________________

Do you even watch baseball ? because you certainly have no clue what you are talking about....There has been the Marlins, the Diamondbacks, Rockies, Devil Rays, Phillies all low salaried teams who played well and were in the playoffs/WS....why don't you acknowledge that ?

Yankees didn't make it last year, Boston didn't this year, so your point is absolutely without merit

[Empire-George]

by Empire-George November 5, 2009 10:13 AM EST

Correction, boston was bounced early this year, but nonetheless...Brianwood.....if owners don't want to invest, get sick at your owner, not us

[briannorwood]

Empire-George:

Yeah, occasionally a team (like the Marlins) will get lucky and have enough really good young players (who don't cost an arm and a leg) to compete.

However, their tenure at the team is short-lived. If they are really-good, they are priced out of their current team and move on to one of the RLB (rich league baseball) teams. This is EXACTLY the case with the Marlins.

[briannorwood]

"if owners don't want to invest, get sick at your owner, not us" --Empire George

Hard to compete when the Yankee make more profit in baseball cap sales alone than the entire salary of the Pirates.

Give us salary caps and revenue sharing. Football gets it. That's why there is parity in Football. Until baseball gets it, their fan base will continue to dwindle.

[wadyaknow]

Bloomberg and the Yankees - New York democracy and sports in action. $$$$$$$$

[Empire-George]

by KAOTIC1 November 5, 2009 12:15 AM EST
Feels soooo good!!!!!!!!!! PROPS YANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
___________

Yes it does.....Thank you

Today is a great day

(although evening of Nov.4th, 2010 will be greater, when the dictator is rebuked)

[Empire-George]

by fedup12 November 5, 2009 9:30 AM EST
The best team money can buy.

MLB isnt even hardly competitive anymore except among the rich teams. IDK why teams like the royals even try.
___________________

The best team money can buy ?? Can I get a refund for the past 9 years dude ? You have no clue what you are talking about, Yankees have been cutting payroll the past couple years, and when we had the highest payroll, it still never bought us a championship, like haters such as yourself suggest......

[fedup12]

The best team money can buy.

MLB isnt even hardly competitive anymore except among the rich teams. IDK why teams like the royals even try.

[briannorwood]

Couldn't agree more. As a Pittsburgh Pirate fan, I am sick and tired of the same teams being in the playoffs year after year.

I think they need two leagues. MLB (Major League Baseball) and RLB (Rich League Baseball). Put the Yankees, Mets, Cubs, Red Sox, Tigers and Angels in the RLB and just let them play each other day after day.

[jett3310]

When is the Obama Pay Czar or congress going to start a investigation into the profits of baseball? Baseball needs a redistrbution of wealth, take all the profits of each team then divide it equally among all the teams. Thats fair, isn't that were where heading to? Oh but i forgot, do unto others but not unto me (elites of new york city, we now whats best for you just don't tell me what to do).

[braniff77]

Ummm. The Yankees pay a luxury tax that gets divided among all the other teams. So there is redistribution of wealth.

[briannorwood]

Oh, do you mean like they do in Football? I'm all for it!

[jett3310]

Lets take all the profits from each team then divide equally among them all!

[democracy1]

Since the MLB teams didn't get any bailout money, your comment is COMPLETE BS. I needed to point that out to you since you obviously have no brain.

[Iamthemango]

GO YANKEES ! ! !

That's what I'm talking about. The best team in the world.

[AttentionDeficit]

How do you know this when only teams in MLB are allowed to compete?

[PaGuy1960]

Get the philly fans parachutes.. They'll be jumoing off the bandwagon this mornong.