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(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi takes the game ball from starter A.J. Burnett during the third inning of Game 5 of the Major League Baseball World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, in Philadelphia. Burnett was relieved by David Robertson.
PHILADELPHIA— A.J. Burnett started walking briskly off the mound before manager Joe Girardi even got there. The erratic right-hander already was finished _ and he knew it.
With a chance to pitch the New York Yankees to their first World Series championship in nine years, Burnett was a major bust in Game 5 on Monday night. He gave up a three-run homer before retiring a hitter and was chased with nobody out in the third inning.
"You just feel like you let a bunch of guys down," Burnett said. "It's the worst feeling in the world to have the chance to do something special and fail like that."
After battering Burnett, the Philadelphia Phillies held on for an 8-6 victory that cut their deficit to 3-2 and sent the Series back to New York for Game 6 on Wednesday night.
Opportunity wasted.
"It was nobody else's fault but mine out there tonight," Burnett said. "It was embarrassing. With the importance of a game like that, you've got to figure out a way to throw strikes."
Burnett tossed seven stellar innings in Game 2, beating Pedro Martinez and the power-hitting Phillies 3-1 at home to tie the Series. It was an encouraging outing under immense pressure, and Burnett's first win in four postseason starts _ all this year.
New York went back to him on three days' rest in Game 5, which seemed a good idea. Burnett entered 4-0 with a 2.33 ERA in four career starts on short rest, though he hadn't tried it this season. He said Sunday he felt good and was excited about pitching against his buddy from back home in Arkansas, Phillies ace Cliff Lee.
The matchup was one-sided.
Burnett never looked comfortable on the mound, taking deep breaths, tucking in his jersey and digging mud out of his spikes. He couldn't get on top of his fastball and lacked the nasty curve that overpowered Philadelphia last week.
