Phils pitching in to stop A-Rod

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Alex Rodriguez virtually carried the New York Yankees into the World Series, hitting .455 with six RBIs in their three-game sweep of Minnesota in the American League Division Series, then batting .429 with three homers, six runs and another six RBIs in their AL Championship Series win over the Angels.

But he’s been a no-show two games into his first World Series, going hitless in eight at-bats, striking out six times. Teammate Derek Jeter, who has played more postseason games and collected more postseason hits than any player in history, says one reason for Rodriguez’s struggles is that pitchers make adjustments this deep into the playoffs.

‘Pitchers aren’t going to rear back and throw the ball over the middle,’ he said. ‘In the regular season, at times, pitchers fall behind and they don’t want to walk you. They’re going to throw the ball [over the plate] and hope you get yourself out. They don’t do that anymore.

‘You just have to, hopefully, wait for your pitch and, when get it, don’t miss it.’

Yankees Manager Joe Girardi also credited the Phillies’ pitching.

‘You can’t expect guys to hit a home run every day and to get two hits every day,’ he said. ‘You make your pitches. In most cases you’ve got a pretty good chance to get guys out.’

But first baseman Mark Teixeira, who is also making his World Series debut, said it will be tough for the rest of the Yankees lineup to take up the slack if Rodriguez’s slump continues.

‘Every single game I play I try to get a hit every time up,’ he said. ‘I’m disappointed if I don’t. And that’s the way the whole team goes out there and does it.

‘Every pitcher wants to make his pitch. Every fielder wants to make the play. And we just feel like, as a team, we’re going to get the job done in the end.’

-- Kevin Baxter