NEW YORK The Yankees waited six long years for this.

They had not won a World Series game since Mike Mussina beat Florida's Josh Beckett for a 2-1 lead in 2003.

Since then, they had lost four in a row - the only games that really matter for a franchise that counts championships by the dozen.

Even CC Sabathia fell short in the opener this year.

A.J. Burnett finally broke through Thursday, pitching the type of game New York expects - if not demands.

Burnett took a page from Cliff Lee's how-to manual and backed by a few key hits, the Yankees drew even with the Philadelphia Phillies at one game apiece.

Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui shook the Yankees from their lumber slumber with solo homers off of Pedro Martinez, and Burnett's biting curveball frustrated Philadelphia in a 3-1 victory.

"I fed off the crowd tonight," Burnett said. "They were cheering all the time, but when I struck guys out, they really got loud, so I was just trying to keep that going for them."

After Philadelphia won Wednesday 6-1, Burnett happened to hear Lee talk about confidence during an on-field interview. It left an impression.

"He talked about belief in his stuff, and all I told myself last night and today was the same thing," Burnett said.

With the Series shifting to Philadelphia tonight, the attention will turn to left-handers Cole Hamels of the Phillies and Andy Pettitte of New York.

Hamels grew up watching Pettitte pitch important playoff games and still tries to imitate his icy glare on the mound.

The young kid vs. the old October pro."Andy Pettitte and Tom Glavine, those were the guys I emulated growing up when I was a little kid," Hamels, 25, said of two fellow left-handers Friday. "They were always in the playoffs. I always got to watch them. They always pitched big games and they won."

This game's important for plenty of reasons. The defending champion Phillies split two games at Yankee Stadium. There's a chance they'll face Sabathia again in Game4. That puts more pressure on Hamels.

Pettitte, of course, has more postseason victories (16) than any pitcher in major league history. He has four championship rings.

He's also 2-0 with a 2.37 ERA during this postseason.

Last October, Hamels looked like a young Pettitte, going 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA and helping the Phillies win their second World Series title. Hamels was NL Championship Series and World Series Most Valuable Player.

This year, however, has been a struggle from the start.

Perhaps Hamels could take a page from Pettitte, who pulls his cap low over his eyes, blocks everything out and has tunnel vision with the catcher.

Late Thursday

Yankees 3, Phillies 1

LOB--Philadelphia 6, New York 7. 2B--Ibanez 2 (2), C.Ruiz (2), Jeter (2). HR--Teixeira (1), off P.Martinez; H.Matsui (1), off P.Martinez. RBIs--Stairs (1), Teixeira (1), H.Matsui (1), Posada (1). Runners left in scoring position--Philadelphia 4 (Howard, Victorino, Utley, Stairs); New York 2 (Damon, Gardner). DP--Philadelphia 1; New York 1.

P.Martinez pitched to 2 batters in the 7th. Inherited runners-scored-Park 2-1, S.Eyre 2-0. IBB--off A.Burnett (Utley). HBP--by Madson (Teixeira). Umpires--Home, Jeff Nelson; First, Brian Gorman; Second, Mike Everitt; Third, Dana DeMuth T--3:25. A--50,181 (52,325).

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