New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies

The usual tricks and treats doled out on Halloween night will feature the treat of a rare World Series game on All Hallows Eve, a holiday usually that occurs following the baseball season.

Due to the World Baseball Classic during Spring Training, the season was pushed back by a week, causing the World Series to stretch into November for just the second time and the first time it has been scheduled that way—the 2001 season was delayed by a week following the attacks on 9-11 and the World Series ended on November 1.

With the New York Yankees clutch 3-1 win in Thursday night’s Game 2, the season will now not end until at least November 2, and if it goes seven games, November 5.

A pitching duel was probably the last thing that was figured between the two league winners, who led their respective leagues in hitting during the regular season, but that is exactly what was exhibited on Thursday as A.J. Burnett showed he was a championship-caliber hurler and pitched just a notch better than Pedro Martinez.

Burnett went seven innings of four hit baseball and allowed just one-run while Martinez allowed three runs on six hits in six innings of work.

The Yankees, who were stunned by their opening loss on Wednesday got down in the second inning when Matt Stairs had an RBI single, but New York stayed motivated and scored single runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings, buoyed by two solo home runs from Mark Teixiera and Hideki Matsui.

Matsui’s contribution was all that more important considering he may be the odd man out when the series shifts to Philadelphia Phillies for three games, beginning Saturday night, where no designated hitter will be employed.

World Series veteran Andy Pettitte will head to the mound for New York for Saturday’s game in Philadelphia. Pettitte is 2-0 in three postseason appearances, allowing one run on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings in the pennant-clinched 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

He will be opposed by Cole Hamels, last year’s postseason hero who captured the LCS and World Series MVP awards, but struggled through much of the regular season and has a bloated era of 6.75 in three postseason appearances. He has allowed three or more runs in each of the outings, including four in his first two starts. Despite this, Hamels has a 2-1 record due to receiving a high run support of 7.3 runs per start.

One Yankee that is hopeful of seeing a struggling Hamels in Alex Rodriguez. Prior to the World Series, Rodriguez was having the best postseason of his career, but has gone 0-8 with six strikeouts through the first two games.

Games 4 and 5 will be played on Sunday and Monday nights, barring a weather cancellation before shifting back to the Bronx for games on Wednesday and Thursday, if needed.

Temperatures are expected to hover in the high 40’s to low 50’s at gametime Saturday night with a misty and spotty shower from time to time that could increase to a drizzle, however officials are confidence that it will not be enough precipitation that was delay or cause a postponement of Game 3.

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