The Cliff & Chase Show Give Phillies A Dominate Game 1 Win Over The Yankees (World Series Sports Thread #2

Coming into the postseason , Cliff Lee had yet to record a playoff win, let alone pitch in the postseason.

After four starts, no question that Cliff Lee is the best pitcher in baseball at this point.

A masterful performance that featured 10 strikeouts, no walks, and a jaw dropping behind the back fielding play from Lee spurred the defending champion to a dominant 6-1 Game 1 win in the World Series.

This is how good the CY Young winner of 2008 was: He allowed no runner to third base before the 9th inning, and he also prevented two runners form being on base at the same time before the final frame.

Outside of the always brilliant Derek Jeter (who again, with a 3 for 5 performance and the only run scored for the Yankees in this game), Lee flummoxed the entire Yankee lineup all night. He baffled the in form Alex Rodriguez with three strikeouts, took the confident bats away from dangerous youngsters Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera, and took any threat from the veteran bats of Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui.

It was so outstanding from Lee that after the game, you had to not be surprised at all from him saying that he was placid throughout form the get go.

"To tell you the truth, I wasn't nervous" said Lee in the post game interview with Ken Rosenthal. "It's a dream come true doing what I'm doing and I was nervous."

Lee's brilliance was certainly coupled with the damage Chase Utley did to his former Indian teammate and his close friend, CC Sabathia. Utley's two HR's off of the big lefty ace for the Yankees were the game winning runs at night's end. Both were off two strike fastballs that Sabathia will love to have back, including the second one on a 0-2 count right down the heart of the plate.

Sabathia though did pitch well again this postseason, going seven strong and giving the Yankees a chance to produce another magical comeback.

But it was not to be this time, as once again, the bullpen outside of Mariano Rivera looked so shaky for the Yankees. Phil Hughes gave up two walks, and it lead to Raul Ibanez bringing them home with two big runs in the 8th off of Dave Robertson to seal the deal basically.

It was a statement game certainly here by the Phillies that they want to defend their title here no question. It was a sound performance of sheer excellence from Lee and the entire team.

And with AJ Burnett coming to the mound tomorrow against Pedro Martinez tomorrow night, Game 2 is certainly a game where the Yankees right hander has better bring his A stuff tomorrow. Because the Pedro man will certainly not be rattled by anything thrown his way. And has the ability to help give the Phillies 2-0 lead if he pitches well.

He certainly will do that if he pitches anywhere near Lee did tonight.