New York kept hitting in the fifth and chased Hamels. Benched in Game 2 at home, Swisher opened with a double and slid home with the tying run when Pettitte looped a one-out single to center on a first-pitch breaking ball.
It was Pettitte’s third hit in 18 career postseason at-bats, second in World Series play.
Who needs a designated hitter?
The Fox broadcast caught Derek Jeter saying to plate umpire Brian Gorman: “We’re going to have to listen to Pettitte now. He’s been bragging about his hitting all year.”
Jeter fisted a soft single and Damon cracked a two-run double to right-center for a 5-3 lead. Hamels was lifted after another walk to Teixeira and walked off the mound to a mix of boos and cheers.
The lanky left-hander, who was 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA in the postseason last year, fell to 1-2 with a 7.58 ERA in four outings this time around.
Swisher homered off rookie J.A. Happ in the sixth and took a long look at his solo shot to left.
Werth answered leading off the bottom half with a mammoth drive off the facing of the second deck in left. After connecting, he slammed his bat to the ground and glared into the Philadelphia dugout as if to urge on his teammates.
It was Werth’s seventh home run this postseason, one shy of the major league record held by Carlos Beltran (2004) and Barry Bonds (2002).
Jorge Posada’s RBI single in the seventh gave New York a three-run cushion. Matsui added an opposite-field solo shot to left in the eighth, his second homer in two games.
Matsui was on the bench because World Series rules don’t permit a DH in National League parks.
Pettitte fell behind 3-0 in the second. Werth reached down for a breaking ball and hit a leadoff homer to left, setting off fireworks and lighting up the Liberty Bell in right-center.
With the bases loaded, Jimmy Rollins walked to force in a run and Shane Victorino added a sacrifice fly.
Pettitte avoided further damage by striking out Chase Utley, then settled in and held Philadelphia in check. That gave the Yankees a chance to come back.
The Phillie Phanatic was wearing a rain-slicker and fisherman’s hat when he high-fived Mike Schmidt as the Hall of Famer walked to the mound to throw out the first pitch to Howard.
The grounds crew was still drying puddles on the warning track as the Phillies took the field.
Last season, Game 5 of the World Series between the Phillies and Tampa Bay was suspended for two days because of rain. Once it resumed — in the sixth inning — the Phillies went on to a 4-3 victory that clinched the championship.
Last year’s Game 3 started at 10:06 p.m. because of rain and didn’t end until 1:47 a.m. It was the latest start in Series history.
Notes: The Phillies dropped to 11-2 at home the past two postseasons. ... Nine of the last 10 teams to win Game 3 when the World Series was tied 1-all went on to take the title. The exception was the 2003 Yankees, who lost the next three games to Florida.
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