PHILADELPHIA (AP) -Time out!
Jorge Posada pops out of his crouch, stands up in the catcher's box and raises both arms above his head. Hang on, everybody. He's going to need a minute to chat with his pitcher.
And then, here it comes ... BOO!!
Restless fans, jeering loud enough to hear all over Philadelphia.
Posada and the Yankees are driving the crowd crazy here, but whatever they're saying during all those meetings on the mound, it's working. New York scored three runs to snap a ninth-inning tie and beat the Phillies 7-4 on Sunday night for a commanding 3-1 cushion in the World Series.
Posada came through with a big hit, too. After Alex Rodriguez's go-ahead double with two outs, his two-run single off Brad Lidge gave the Yankees a three-run lead.
That made it easy on closer Mariano Rivera, who got three quick outs for the save.
Posada also had a sacrifice fly in a two-run first inning.
Looking for their 27th championship, and first in nine years, the Yankees are being careful with every detail during every ballgame this postseason.
Over and over again, Posada goes out to the mound to talk to his pitcher and make sure they're on the same page regarding signals.
Posada and Yankees ace CC Sabathia had eight meetings in the fifth inning alone Sunday night. Four came with slugger Jayson Werth at the plate.
Sabathia struck out Werth with runners at first and second to end the inning.
Posada doesn't start behind the plate when right-hander A.J. Burnett is on the mound. Light-hitting catcher Jose Molina has become Burnett's personal catcher.
But the 38-year-old Posada, who had shoulder surgery last offseason, has been guiding the rest of New York's pitchers through this postseason.
After reliever Joba Chamberlain gave up a tying homer to Pedro Feliz with two outs in the eighth, Posada hugged the 24-year-old Chamberlain in the dugout and whispered wisdom in his ear for several moments.
Chamberlain came away nodding, and the Yankees came away with a win.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
