Matsui Ties World Series Record with 6 RBIs in 6 Innings

The Zone: Hideki Matsui powers the Yankees to a commanding lead in Game 6.

Hideki Matsui tied the World Series record with six RBIs on a home run, single and double that each drove in two runs, and the New York Yankees led the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 after six innings in Game 6 on Wednesday night as they neared their record 27th championship.

Matsui’s third homer of the Series gave starter Andy Pettitte a 2-0 lead in the second inning.

Philadelphia, which fought off elimination by winning 8-6 in Game 5, got a run back in the third on Jimmy Rollins’ sacrifice fly. Matsui hit a bases-loaded single with two outs in the third, then greeted reliever J.A. Happ with a two-run double off the right-field wall that boosted New York’s lead to 7-1 in a three-run fifth.

Matsui improved to 8 for 12 (.666) with three homers and eight RBIs in the Series, and 9 for 19 (.474) against Martinez in postseason play. The only other player with six RBIs in a Series game was the Yankees’ Bobby Richardson, who had a first-inning grand slam and a two-run single in Game 3 against Pittsburgh in 1960.

Mark Teixeira, in a 2-for-20 Series slump, singled in a run earlier in the fifth off Chad Durbin after a leadoff double by Derek Jeter hopped the fence in left-center. Jeter had two hits and was batting .400 (10 for 25).

Ryan Howard, just 3 for 21 (.143) with a record-tying 12 strikeouts entering the at-bat, hit a two-run, opposite-field homer to left in the sixth. After throwing a called third strike past Jayson Werth, Pettitte gave up a double to Raul Ibanez and was replaced by Joba Chamberlain, who got Pedro Feliz to ground out.

Starting on three days’ rest following a start for the first time since September 2006, Pettitte allowed three runs, four hits and five walks in 5 2-3 innings with three strikeouts. The 37-year-old left-hander won the division series and league championship series clinchers, then beat the Phillies in Game 3 to increase his record for postseason wins to 17.

Martinez, the Game 2 loser, once again was greeted by chants of “Who’s your daddy!” by Yankees fans, reminding him of a quote from his days with the rival Red Sox. He lasted just four innings and 77 pitches, giving up four runs and three hits. He struck out five and walked two. Durbin was charged with three runs.

New York sustained another injury when left fielder Johnny Damon left after the third inning because of a strained right calf. He was replaced by Jerry Hairston Jr.

It was 47 degrees at gametime and only the second time the Series extended to Nov. 4. The first was for Game 7 of the 2001 Series, delayed by the 9/11 terrorist attacks. That was the night Arizona rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth against Mariano Rivera, ending the Yankees’ streak of three straight titles when Luis Gonzalez blooped a single over a drawn-in infield. The Yankees haven’t come as close to the title since.

Newly re-elected Mayor Michael Bloomberg was in the first row behind home plate and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani sat next to the Yankees dugout.

Just six of 43 teams facing 3-1 deficits in a best-of-seven World Series have gone on to win the title, and five straight have failed since Kansas City rallied past St. Louis in 1985. The only ones to make the comeback winning Games 6 and 7 on the road were the 1958 Yankees against the Milwaukee Braves, the 1968 Detroit Tigers against St. Louis and the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates against Baltimore.

CC Sabathia would start Game 7 for the Yankees, scheduled for Thursday night. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel wouldn’t identify his starter; his choice appeared to be between Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels.

Shane Victorino, playing after getting hit on the right index finger by a pitch in Game 5, reached on an infield single with one out in the first, a two-hopper to the third-base side that Pettitte picked up without making a throw. Chase Utley then grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, with Teixeira making a nice stretch at first to grab Jeter’s off-line throw and get a toe back on the base.

Martinez retired the side in order in the bottom half, throwing no pitch faster than 84 mph. Teixeira ended the inning with a flyout to the warning track in right.

Pettitte walked Werth with one out in the second, then shattered Ibanez’s bat on a pop to short right and, after a wild pitch, retired Feliz on a foul out to catcher Jorge Posada.

Martinez walked Alex Rodriguez leading off the second and then battled Matsui to a full count. After hooking two deep fouls, on the eighth pitch of the at-bat, Matsui drove an 87-88 mph fastball into the second deck in right field — over the ad of Komatsu, a Japanese construction and mining equipment company — just a few feet fair.

Philadelphia got a run right back in the third when No. 9 hitter Carlos Ruiz tripled off the left-center field wall with one out — the ball hit the top of a Dunkin’ Donuts sign and kicked back toward center. Ruiz scored easily on Rollins’ sacrifice fly.

New York loaded the bases with one out in the third. Jeter singled to center on a ball Victorino went back on, then ran in and trapped, Damon walked and Teixeira was hit on a leg with a pitch.

With left-hander J.A. Happ warming up, Rodriguez took a called third strike on a pitch he thought was outside, then had words with plate umpire Joe West. Matsui lined an 0-1 pitch just foul down the right-field line and lined a single to center on the next pitch to drive in two runs.

Pettitte shouted at West after the top of the fourth, and Yankees manager Joe Girardi came out and ushered his pitcher away. Werth and Ibanez walked with one out, and Feliz grounded out with a full count after a close 2-2 pitch was called a ball. Pettitte also appeared to be angered by a pitch to Ibanez that was called ball.

11/4/2009 10:50 PM RONALD BLUM, AP Baseball Writer NEW YORK