Old foe Pedro stands between Yanks and 27th title

AP - By MIKE FITZPATRICK

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Andy Pettitte against Pedro Martinez, with the Yankees one win from ecstasy. Now that's a World Series matchup worth talking about. Still stalking that elusive 27th championship, New York turns to Pettitte once again in Game 6 on Wednesday night, hoping he can pitch his team past Chase Utley and the Philadelphia Phillies on only three days' rest.

"I think everybody knew it was going to be a great Series. I think everybody knew it was going to be a tough Series. And it looks like it's living up to that," Pettitte said Tuesday.

His familiar foe is pumped up, too. Martinez and Pettitte have faced each other six times on the mound -- but never with the stakes so high.

"Two old goats out there doing the best they can and having fun with it," Martinez said. "I don't have enough words to describe how excited I am about being here. This is just a great gift to me."

After wasting a chance to wrap things up in Game 5 at Philadelphia, the Yankees set their sights on clinching at home. They'd love to christen their $1.5 billion ballpark with a World Series crown in its first season and give a seventh title to 79-year-old owner George Steinbrenner.

They've got two chances to do it. Game 7 would be Thursday night in the Bronx, if necessary, with ace CC Sabathia pitching for New York -- also on short rest.

"People expect us to be great all the time. We just need to be great tomorrow night," Johnny Damon said.

Coming off an 8-6 victory Monday night that trimmed their Series deficit to 3-2, the defending champion Phillies took the train to New York on Tuesday afternoon, a ride that takes a little more than an hour. They chose not to work out at Yankee Stadium, but their opponents did.

Martinez and Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel showed up at the ballpark for news conferences. Manuel was uncertain whether All-Star center fielder Shane Victorino would be able to play in Game 6 after getting hit in the right hand with A.J. Burnett's 95 mph fastball Monday night.

If Victorino can't go, Ben Francisco would likely start in center.

Riding Utley's homers, the Phillies are trying to become the first team to rally from a 3-1 World Series deficit since the 1985 Kansas City Royals -- and the first NL club to win consecutive championships since the 1975-76 Cincinnati Reds.

To do it, Philadelphia might need Ryan Howard to break out of his untimely slump. The big slugger is batting .158 (3 for 19) with 12 strikeouts, tying the Series record set by Kansas City's Willie Wilson in 1980.