# 2009 World Series
The 2009 [World Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/world-series) was the 105th edition of [Major League Baseball](https://www.edgepedia.org/major-league-baseball)'s championship series, a best-of-seven playoff won by the [American League](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-league) champion New York Yankees over the National League champion and defending champion Philadelphia Phillies, four games to two, from October 28 to November 4, 2009.[1](https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2009_WS.shtml) • [2](https://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr2009ws.shtml) It was the Yankees' record 27th World Series championship and their first since 2000.[3](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-111hres893eh/pdf/BILLS-111hres893eh.pdf) • [4](https://time.com/3432427/derek-jeter-a-rod/) Yankees designated hitter Hideki Matsui was named Most Valuable Player, the first time the honor went to a designated hitter.[1](https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2009_WS.shtml) • [5](https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/matsui-heroics-make-it-a-genuine-world-series/26579503.html)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Result | New York Yankees over Philadelphia Phillies, 4 games to 2; dates October 28 to November 4, 2009[1](https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2009_WS.shtml) |
| Championship | The Yankees' 27th World Series title, a record for the major leagues[3](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-111hres893eh/pdf/BILLS-111hres893eh.pdf) |
| Series MVP | Hideki Matsui, the first designated hitter to win the World Series MVP award[1](https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2009_WS.shtml) • [5](https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/matsui-heroics-make-it-a-genuine-world-series/26579503.html) |
| Previous meeting | The franchises had met in the 1950 World Series, which the Yankees swept 4-0[2](https://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr2009ws.shtml) |
| Television | The Series averaged an 11.7 rating and 19.4 million viewers on FOX; Game 6 drew a 13.4/22 rating and 22.3 million viewers[6](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2009/11/2009-world-series-averages-117-rating/) |
| Clinching pitcher | Andy Pettitte became the first pitcher to start and win all three clinching games of a single postseason (Division Series, Championship Series, World Series)[7](https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/mlb/zs8cuqmb3vzpmugjtqld.pdf) |
## Road to the Series
The Yankees reached the Fall Classic by sweeping the [Minnesota Twins](https://www.edgepedia.org/minnesota-twins) 3-0 in the American League Division Series and beating the [Los Angeles Angels](https://www.edgepedia.org/los-angeles-angels) 4-2 in the [American League Championship Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-league-championship-series), with CC Sabathia named ALCS MVP.[8](https://www.mlb.com/postseason/history/2009) • [1](https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2009_WS.shtml) The Phillies, defending champions from 2008, defeated the Colorado Rockies 3-1 in the National League Division Series and the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1 in the National League Championship Series, with Ryan Howard named NLCS MVP.[8](https://www.mlb.com/postseason/history/2009) • [1](https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2009_WS.shtml)
The matchup carried history. These clubs had faced each other before, in the 1950 World Series, a matchup the Yankees won by sweeping Philadelphia in four straight games, and 2009 was the first time in 59 years that they met again in the Fall Classic.[2](https://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr2009ws.shtml) • [8](https://www.mlb.com/postseason/history/2009)
## The games
**Game 1, October 28, Phillies 6, Yankees 1.** [Cliff Lee](https://www.edgepedia.org/cliff-lee) held the Yankees to one unearned run in a complete game, striking out ten without a walk. [Chase Utley](https://www.edgepedia.org/chase-utley) connected twice for home runs against lefty [CC Sabathia](https://www.edgepedia.org/cc-sabathia), and in doing so became the first lefty batter since Babe Ruth to homer twice in a World Series game against a southpaw pitcher. Ryan Howard had the first hit of the Series, a first-inning double.[2](https://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr2009ws.shtml)
**Game 2, October 29, Yankees 3, Phillies 1.** A.J. Burnett outdueled Pedro Martinez, who was making his first postseason appearance against the Yankees since the 2004 ALCS. [Mark Teixeira](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-teixeira) tied the game with a solo home run and [Hideki Matsui](https://www.edgepedia.org/hideki-matsui) broke the tie in the sixth. [Mariano Rivera](https://www.edgepedia.org/mariano-rivera) recorded a six-out save, his 38th postseason save and tenth in World Series play.[2](https://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr2009ws.shtml)
**Game 3, October 31, Yankees 8, Phillies 5.** After an 80-minute rain delay, [Alex Rodriguez](https://www.edgepedia.org/alex-rodriguez) hit a deep ball down the right field line that was originally ruled a double. The play went to MLB instant replay and was overturned into a two-run home run, the first home run reviewed by instant replay in postseason play; the ball had struck a camera extending over the wall. [Andy Pettitte](https://www.edgepedia.org/andy-pettitte) drove in a run with a single as well, marking his initial postseason RBI in his career and making him the first Yankees pitcher to bat in a run in a World Series since [Jim Bouton](https://www.edgepedia.org/jim-bouton) did so in 1964. Pettitte earned the win, his 17th career postseason victory, extending his major league record.[2](https://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr2009ws.shtml)
**Game 4, November 1, Yankees 7, Phillies 4.** Johnny Damon's ninth-inning baserunning, in which he stole second and advanced to third on the same play, was a notable baserunning play.[9](https://blogs.fangraphs.com/ranking-the-world-series-of-the-21st-century/) The Yankees took the win, with Joba Chamberlain the winning pitcher and Rivera saving his fifth game of the Series.[1](https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2009_WS.shtml)
**Game 5, November 2, Phillies 8, Yankees 6.** Cliff Lee won again, beating Burnett, as Philadelphia extended the Series.[1](https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2009_WS.shtml)
**Game 6, November 4, Yankees 7, Phillies 3.** Pettitte took the start and earned the victory in the game that sealed the series, which made him, at the time, the third-oldest pitcher ever to win a World Series clincher, younger only than Burleigh Grimes in 1931 and Eddie Plank in 1913; he also became the only pitcher in major league history to begin and capture each of a single postseason's three series-ending games.[7](https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/mlb/zs8cuqmb3vzpmugjtqld.pdf) The Yankees celebrated the 27th championship in franchise history on the field at Yankee Stadium.[7](https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/mlb/zs8cuqmb3vzpmugjtqld.pdf)
## Matsui and the MVP award
Matsui, a Japanese citizen, was named Most Valuable Player after feats on baseball's greatest stage that the Irish Independent described as making it a genuine "World" Series. The award was the first time the World Series MVP honor had gone to a designated hitter, a role the National League club does not use in its home park.[5](https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/matsui-heroics-make-it-a-genuine-world-series/26579503.html)
## Television audience
The Series averaged an 11.7 rating and 19.4 million viewers on FOX, topping the Lakers/Magic NBA Finals (8.4/15, 14.3 million) and returning the World Series ahead of the NBA Finals after Celtics/Lakers had topped Phillies/Rays in 2008. Wednesday night's Game 6 averaged a 13.4/22 rating and 22.3 million viewers, down 4 percent in ratings and viewership from Marlins/Yankees Game 6 in 2003, the most recent previous Game 6. The past five World Series at that point ranked as the five lowest rated in history.[6](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2009/11/2009-world-series-averages-117-rating/)
## Aftermath
The 2009 Phillies were the last defending champion to reach the World Series until the 2025 Los Angeles Dodgers did so, a gap of 16 years; the Phillies lost to the Yankees in six games in 2009.[10](https://apnews.com/article/43453e53c8531918903bc483f3691b0a) The title was the Yankees' only World Series championship since 2000.[4](https://time.com/3432427/derek-jeter-a-rod/) Alex Rodriguez, who had been acquired by the Yankees in a high-profile trade, hit his first World Series home run in Game 3 after the replay review.[2](https://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr2009ws.shtml)
## References
1. [2009 World Series - New York Yankees over Philadelphia Phillies (4-2), Baseball-Reference](https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2009_WS.shtml)
2. [2009 World Series, Baseball Almanac](https://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr2009ws.shtml)
3. [H. Res. 893, 111th Congress, congratulating the New York Yankees on the 2009 World Series championship](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-111hres893eh/pdf/BILLS-111hres893eh.pdf)
4. [Goodbye and Halo: Derek Jeter for Sainthood?, TIME](https://time.com/3432427/derek-jeter-a-rod/)
5. [Matsui heroics make it a genuine 'World' Series, Irish Independent](https://www.independent.ie/sport/other-sports/matsui-heroics-make-it-a-genuine-world-series/26579503.html)
6. [2009 World Series averages 11.7 rating, 19.4 million viewers, Sports Media Watch](https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2009/11/2009-world-series-averages-117-rating/)
7. [2009 Championship Series / World Series, MLB.com official program PDF](https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-images/image/upload/mlb/zs8cuqmb3vzpmugjtqld.pdf)
8. [2009 Postseason History, MLB.com](https://www.mlb.com/postseason/history/2009)
9. [Ranking the World Series of the 21st Century, FanGraphs Baseball](https://blogs.fangraphs.com/ranking-the-world-series-of-the-21st-century/)
10. [Blue Jays in World Series for first time since before Ohtani was born, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/43453e53c8531918903bc483f3691b0a)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Baseball and related bat sports › Professional baseball in the Americas › MLB seasons and year-in-baseball chronology › World Series editions*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license