World Series Game Three, Halloween night, and the Yanks are loose down the ‘pike  in Philadelphia.

Andy Pettitte, the afterthought, the complimentary player, the maybe-number-five starter last offseason, earns a come-from-behind swing game win to become the winningest postseason pitcher in baseball history. Adios, John Smoltz. And, not to forget, while coming from behind ties the game for himself with his bat. Scary to think where the Yanks would be without him.

Alex Rodriguez, booed just for breathing in the past, embarrassed last offseason, in surgery during spring training, returning with a bang to wake up the Yanks in May, becoming the biggest bat all postseason, shows up now with another bang, his first World Series hit also his first World Series homerun, tying Bernie Williams for most homers in Yankee postseason history and sending still another wakeup call to the Yankee offense.

Nick Swisher, starts the season on the bench, becomes a regular by necessity, gets two big hits and catches for every big bungle all year long, does very little that’s big at the plate through the postseason, benched in Game 2 of the World Series, first doubles and goes barreling home on Pettitte’s single in the fifth, helps him tie the game and then earns the win with a go-ahead solo shot in the sixth. There you have it: Nick Swisher, the Redemption Kid, outslugs Rocky Balboa on a Yank-haunted Saturday night in Philly.

Meanwhile Damon starts looking demonic. Matsui rises late to stomp Myers, Godzilla in the flesh, while the Phanatic cringes out of sight in his costume.

Enter Joba and Marte. Then Hughes, who’s sorta okay. And finally Rivera, his devilish cutter sending the crowd home in graveyard silence.

World Series Game Three, Phillies tricked and not treated.

Yankees win, up 2-1 in a best of seven that has become a best of four.

A happy Halloween for the boys in pinstripes.