PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania: Chase Utley, who takes pride in playing each game as if it were his last, hit two historic home runs Monday to ensure defending World Series champion Philadelphia had more games to play.

Utley smacked a three-run homer in the first inning and a solo round-tripper in the seventh to power the Phillies past the New York Yankees 8-6 Monday (Tuesday in Manila) and lift them within 3-2 in Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven final.

“It was a do-or-die game but I try to prepare the same way no matter when I’m playing,” Utley said. “You go out and play every game as hard as you can. You play every game like it’s your last.”

Utley’s five homers in the 105th World Series matched Yankee legend Reggie Jackson’s 1977 total for the most in any Series and lifted Philadelphia into a sixth game Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) at New York, where Game 7 would be Thursday (Friday in Manila) if needed.

“Obviously it’s great company. At some point, not right now, I will look back on it and see what kind of special moment it is. But right now our goal is to win two more games.”

The Yankees are trying to win a 27th World Series title, the greatest run of championship success in American sport. The Yankees, whose $201-million payroll is baseball’s highest, have not won the World Series since 2000.

Only six of 40 Series teams trailing 3-1 have ever rallied to win the crown, but no Yankees foe in that situation has even forced a seventh game.

Utley and Raul Ibanez smashed homers in the seventh to build an 8-2 edge for the Phillies, who knocked out short-rested Yankee starter A.J. Burnett early in the third inning.

“If we had pitched, we probably would have won. That’s the bottom line. A.J. struggled,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “I don’t think there was any [short rest] correlation. He just wasn’t able to get it going.”

Southpaw Andy Pettitte, New York’s Game 3 winner, will pitch Game 6 on short rest if he is able, Girardi said. The Phillies will start Pedro Martinez, the former Boston pitcher and game two loser whom Yankee fans loathe.

AFP