Pettitte shuts down Florida, 6-1

Hideki Matsui and Alfonso Soriano hit home runs in support of the left-hander.
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Face of October is a familiar one -- if not a little bit frightening, too.
With the bill of his cap pulled down low to shadow his dark eyes and his glove held high, Andy Pettitte cuts a menacing figure on the mound. The Florida Marlins saw it for themselves Sunday night.
Pettitte pitched the New York Yankees right back into this World Series, working into the ninth inning on only three days' rest and winning 6-1 to even it at one game each.
Inspiration came from his mentor, Roger Clemens.
"I was inside the clubhouse before the game talking to Rog a little bit. He said, 'This is what we worked all year for. You got to go out strong like a horse tonight,' " Pettitte said.
He did, all right, and his teammates came out slugging, a take-that response to a Marlins team intent on using its speed to cause trouble.
Offense
Hideki Matsui delivered the big hit the Yankee Stadium crowd was waiting for, a three-run homer in the first inning on a 3-0 count. Slumping Alfonso Soriano later added a two-run drive.
Those shots seemed to revive a Yankees team that looked sluggish in losing the opener 3-2. And they were plenty for Pettitte, who tied John Smoltz's postseason record of 13 victories.
"I don't know how much better his stuff can be than tonight," Marlins leadoff man Juan Pierre said. "But if it is, I don't want to see it."
Now, the Series shifts to Pro Player Stadium for Game 3 Tuesday night. Marlins ace Josh Beckett will start against Mike Mussina.
"We talked about it all along. Pitching is going to win this Series," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said.
Pettitte nearly recorded his first postseason shutout in 29 starts. Third baseman Aaron Boone's second error of the game, a two-out misplay in the ninth, set up Derrek Lee's RBI single.
Fan appreciation
At that point, manager Joe Torre pulled Pettitte, who waved his cap as he got a standing ovation from the 55,750 fans chanting his name.
Pettitte gave up six hits, struck out seven, walked one and did not permit a runner past second base until the last inning. Jose Contreras relieved and got the final out.
"I was missing a little bit, kind of fighting myself a little bit trying to figure out what kind of game I wanted to pitch on three days' rest," Pettitte said, referring to the first inning.
Once again, Pettitte's timing was impeccable.
The Yankees also lost the openers in their playoff series against Minnesota and Boston this year before Pettitte won Game 2.
"For people to say 'There is no pressure' or 'This guy doesn't feel pressure,' I don't believe it," Torre said. "It's a matter of how you handle it."
Few chances
Pettitte improved to 13-7 lifetime in the postseason, and never let the Marlins threaten. Catcher Jorge Posada threw out Luis Castillo trying to steal in the first inning, and the Yankees got a lucky break when a ball that deflected off Miguel Cabrera's leg was called fair and turned into a double play.
Not that the Yankees needed much help to beat Mark Redman on this night. Pettitte's deep start allowed New York to give ace closer Mariano Rivera another day of rest.
Nick Johnson helped out with three hits for the Yankees. He may not get to play again for a bit because the Yankees will lose the designated hitter at Miami, with Jason Giambi taking over at first base.
Boone is certainly learning how fast fortunes change in the Bronx -- he was hailed as a hero after his 11th-inning homer won Game 7 of the ALCS, but was criticized for failing to throw home in a key spot Saturday night.
Matsui's homer came after Giambi was hit by a pitch with two outs and Bernie Williams singled.
"I'm just taking the same mental approach I did during the regular season," Matsui said through a translator.
Matsui became the first Japanese player to homer in a World Series, getting the green light on the 3-0 count and hitting a no-doubt drive over the wall in center field. The crowd kept cheering until he came out for a curtain call.
When Matsui trotted out to left field after the inning, the fans in the bleachers gave him another standing ovation. Williams tipped his cap from center field and Matsui returned the favor.
FLORIDANEW YORK
abrhbiabrhbi
Pierre cf4010ASrano 2b3112
LCstillo 2b4120Jeter ss4010
IRdrgz c3010JaGbi dh3110
Rdmnd c1000BWllms cf2110
Cbrera lf4000Matsui lf4113
DeLee 1b4011Posada c3000
Lowell 3b4010ABoone 3b4010
Conine dh3000NJhnsn 1b4230
JEcrcn rf2000JRivra rf4011
AGnzlz ss3000
Totals32161Totals316106
Florida000000001--1
New York31020000x--6
E--ABoone 2 (2). DP--Florida 1, New York 3. LOB--Florida 5, New York 6. 2B--JaGiambi (1), NJohnson (1), JRivera (1). HR--ASoriano (1), Matsui (1). CS--LCastillo (1), ASoriano (1), Posada (1).
IPHRERBBSO
Florida
MRedman L,0-12 1-354422
Helling2 2-322202
CFox110011
Pavano110012
Looper110002
New York
Pettitte W,1-08 2-361017
Contreras1-300000
HBP--by MRedman (JaGiambi). WP--MRedman.
Umpires--Home, Larry Young; First, Gary Darling; Second, Jeff Kellogg; Third, Ed Rapuano; Left, Tim Welke; Right, Randy Marsh. T--2:56. A--55,750.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.