Phillies lead best-of-seven series 1-0

New York: The New York Yankees tipped their caps to Philadelphia pitcher Cliff Lee, who was brilliant in winning Wednesday's World Series opener 6-1, and then turned their focus on levelling the Fall Classic in Game Two.

"It's big, we need to win it and take it to Philly 1-1," Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez told reporters about yesterday's game in New York that has A.J. Burnett opposing Phillies starter Pedro Martinez.

Chase Utley blasted homers over the left-field wall in the third and sixth innings off Yankees left-handed starter C.C. Sabathia, Utley reaching base in a record 26th consecutive playoff game.

Raul Ibanez added a two-run single in the eighth while Shane Victorino and Ryan Howard drove in runs in the ninth to help power the Phillies to a 1-0 lead in Major League Baseball's best-of-seven championship final.

The best-of-seven series moves to Philadelphia on Saturday for three games, if needed.

Lee humbled the powerful New York lineup and quieted a crowd of more than 50,000 by yielding just six hits and striking out 10 without a walk in the complete-game victory.

"He was dominant," said Rodriguez, who struck out three times and went 0-for-4 at the plate. "He dominated our lineup. He probably would have dominated any lineup tonight."

The only run mustered by the American League champions came on a throwing error by shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the ninth.