PHILADELPHIA — The New York Yankees are chasing championship No. 27 by throwing their top pitchers on three days’ rest.

A.J. Burnett is scheduled to start on short rest against Philadelphia ace Cliff Lee in Game 5 of the World Series on Monday night. CC Sabathia was given the same assignment Sunday in Game 4, and Andy Pettitte could come back on three days’ rest in Game 6 if the Series returns to New York.
“Our guys feel good at this time of year,” manager Joe Girardi explained before Game 4. “We tried to give them some extra rest in the month of September, and they’ve had some extra rest during the playoffs that we thought was very important.”
With right-hander Joba Chamberlain back in the bullpen, New York has stuck with three starters throughout the postseason. Girardi chose Burnett, who beat Pedro Martinez and the Phillies in Game 2, over journeyman Chad Gaudin in Game 5.
Burnett is 4-0 with a 2.33 ERA in four career starts on short rest, though he hasn’t tried it this season.
“To be honest, it’s a little different, obviously, in October,” he said. “But I feel good right now. Otherwise, I wouldn’t take the ball.”
New York’s approach is a departure from the norm in baseball over the last two decades. According to STATS LLC, no team has won the World Series using only three postseason starters since the 1991 Minnesota Twins.
The defending champion Phillies decided to keep Lee on regular rest, giving him the ball in Game 5 rather than setting up a rematch with Sabathia. Lee dominated the Yankees in the opener, tossing a six-hitter with 10 strikeouts and no walks in a 6-1 victory.
New York’s only run was unearned, thanks to a throwing error by shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the ninth inning.
Joe Blanton started Game 4 for Philadelphia.
Lee, who has never pitched on three days’ rest, has been nearly unhittable in October, going 3-0 with a 0.54 ERA in four postseason starts totaling 33 1-3 innings. He has 30 strikeouts and three walks.
Both from Arkansas, Burnett and Lee have developed a friendship. They share the same agent, too.
“I didn’t really know him growing up. He was a little ahead of me, but I knew who he was, obviously,” Lee said. “It’s not very often two guys from the state of Arkansas make it to the big leagues, much less square off against each other in the World Series. ... That’s going to be a neat deal for our state and going to be a lot of fun, and something we can talk about for the rest of our lives.”
Looking for their 27th title and first since 2000, the Yankees went into Sunday night’s game with a 2-1 lead in the Series.