SAN DIEGO ---- Jerry Coleman is 59 years removed from his World Series experience against the Philadelphia Phillies, but he said this season's edition is very reminiscent of that one.

The Padres broadcaster and former New York Yankees second baseman was named most valuable player of the 1950 World Series, the last time that the Phillies and Yankees met in October. The Yankees swept that series in four games.

But as far as Coleman can tell, the only real difference between the two series is that his was played in early October while this year's will end in November. On the field, there's little difference, if any at all, Coleman said.

"Pitching, pitching, pitching and you win," Coleman said. "And we've seen that so far here."

With a rotation featuring Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, Allie Reynolds (182 career wins, 49 saves), Ed Lopat (166 wins) and three-time 20-game winner Vic Raschi, New York limited Philadelphia's offense to a .203 average in the series. And even though the Phillies were forced to start reliever Jim Konstanty in Game 1, their pitching staff was equally tough, resulting in three low-scoring, one-run games.

Coleman ---- who was 4-for-14 (.286) with three RBIs and two runs scored in the series ---- played a vital role in the first three games.

His fourth-inning sacrifice fly in Game 1 produced the only run in a 1-0 victory.

"I thought it was going to be a home run, but why would I ruin my career with a home run?" said Coleman, who hit 16 home runs over nine seasons in the majors, with a laugh. "Who knew it was going to be the winning run?"

Coleman scored the first run in Game 2, and the Yankees ultimately prevailed when Joe DiMaggio blasted a solo homer in the 10th inning.

Coleman's shining moment arrived in Game 3, when his two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning off Philadelphia's Russ Meyer scored Gene Woodling with the winning run. It was Coleman's second two-out RBI of the game, and it gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead in the series.

"I hit a rocket shot that knocked the cover off the ball," Coleman said. "When you have (an MVP award), it's having the opportunity."

Though the Yankees lineup of DiMaggio, Yogi Berra and Johnny Mize received all the headlines, Coleman believes the glovework of players such as himself and shortstop Phil Rizzuto was the team's secret weapon.

"We had clutch hitting, great defense and great pitching," Coleman said. "They talk about DiMaggio and Berra and Mize, but I said to Rizzuto, 'We're carrying the club and nobody knows it but us.' "