WORLD SERIES Marlins readying to reel in the Yankees

Editor's note: Game 6 was not completed in time for this edition.
NEW YORK (AP) -- The Florida Marlins fully realize plenty of folks consider them the underdogs in this World Series.
Even now, when they're only one victory away from the championship.
"People still don't believe we can do it, because it's the Yankees," leadoff man Juan Pierre said.
Holding a 3-2 edge over New York, ace Josh Beckett and the wild-card Marlins hoped to wrap up one of baseball's more improbable World Series titles in Game 6 Saturday night.
"I just want one more win, and then we'll hand out the ulcer medicine in the off-season," Florida third baseman Mike Lowell said.
Added teammate Jeff Conine: "Physically and mentally, it seems like the postseason has gone on for two months. They way we've won our games, it's been extremely draining."
Withstood rallies
Florida went into chilly Yankee Stadium after withstanding a pair of ninth-inning rallies by New York. The Marlins already showed a knack for great escapes -- they bounced back after dropping the opener at San Francisco in the division series, then overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Chicago Cubs in the NL championship series.
"I was one of those guys that thought their series against Chicago was over," Yankees pitcher Andy Pettitte said. "I didn't think they'd be able to go there and beat [Mark] Prior and [Kerry] Wood in Wrigley."
Pettitte, who won Game 2 of the World Series while working on three days' rest, was entrusted with saving the Yankees' season. Going into Saturday night's start, he was tied with John Smoltz for the career postseason record of 13 victories.
"We've never been down like this since we began our World Series run," Pettitte said. "You don't want to watch another team celebrate on your field, that's for sure."
McKeon took chance
Trying to give his team its best chance, Marlins manager Jack McKeon took the biggest gamble of his 50-plus years in baseball.
For the first time in his career, Beckett started on three days' rest. And if the Yankees kept the series alive, Florida's Carl Pavano will do the same in Game 7.
Mark Redman was skipped in the rotation, and Dontrelle Willis remained in the bullpen as McKeon tempted fate -- and bucked a recent trend -- by planning to use Beckett and Pavano on short rest.
"We're going to go with our two best pitchers," McKeon said. "We know that everybody wonders why you should, wonders why you shouldn't. You're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't.
"I mean, who's got the answers? Everybody's got their own opinions. We do, too," he said. "You read one day that you should have pitched Beckett, one day you shouldn't pitch Beckett."
Statistics
From 1999-03, pitchers working on three or fewer days' rest in the postseason have fared poorly. In 37 such starts, they've gone 6-20 with a 5.93 ERA, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Among the star pitches who have lost in those situations: Tom Glavine (three times), Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, Bartolo Colon, Mike Hampton, Barry Zito and David Wells.
" 'Historically' don't mean a thing when you're playing the Yankees," McKeon said.
The Yankees were given the home-field edge in this World Series by Hank Blalock's home run off Eric Gagne in the All-Star game -- and they hope to take advantage.
Of the last eight times teams returned home facing a 3-2 deficit in the World Series, they won seven. The exception came in 1992, when Atlanta lost to Toronto.
Not since 1981 had the Yankees faced the prospect of losing the World Series clincher at home. They dropped Game 6 that October to Los Angeles.
"You can't think negative. You have to take the field planning on winning," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said.
He got the only three hits off Beckett in Game 3, which the Yankees wound up winning 6-1.
Confidence boosted
Beckett's confidence was boosted by his strong four-inning outing in relief in Game 7 of the NLCS on just two days' rest.
"I'm fine. I'm ready to pitch," Beckett said. "They asked me before. They didn't just say, 'You got Game 6.' They asked me if it was all right. Shouldn't be a problem."