MLB

YANKEES WIN 27TH WORLD TITLE

Baseball’s penthouse is again decorated with hand-painted silk pinstripe wallpaper. Nine years after their previous World Series title, the Yankees copped No. 27 last night when they spanked the defending champion Phillies, 7-3, in Game 6 at Yankee Stadium as a record gathering of 50,315 that didn’t include George Steinbrenner watched.

Friday morning the Yankees will celebrate with a ticker-tape parade up lower Broadway.

“Right where we belong,” Derek Jeter bellowed from a stage in the middle of the $1.5 billion Stadium.

And they looked very comfortable. Alex Rodriguez, who doesn’t have to answer any more questions about choking in the postseason, let loose with a river of victory tears and promised the parade will be a huge party.

Mariano Rivera held a copy of The Post’s front page with the No. 27 on the cover.

Hideki Matsui, who went 3-for-4 with a homer and six RBIs that tied the single-game record, was named MVP and took the occasion to lobby for a return.

“I hope so,’’ when asked if he would be back. Matsui can become a free agent in 15 days. “I hope it works out. I love New York and I love the fans.’’

From 1996 to 2000 the Yankees won four Series titles and three straight (1998-2000). They came within two outs of winning in 2001, were bounced from the Series in six 2003 games, and didn’t make it back until this year when they spent almost a half-billion dollars of Steinbrenner’s fortune to import CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Mark Teixeira to successfully plug gaping holes in the rotation and lineup.

When the subject of money surfaced, GM Brian Cashman was ready with an answer.

“You can call us anything you want. You’re also going to have to call us world champions,’’ said Cashman, who didn’t join the Steinbrenner family on the stage to accept the World Series trophy.

Sabathia, Burnett and Teixeira played big roles in the Yankees success but it was Matsui who turned Game 6 into a knockout audition for 2009 employment.

“Tonight he was as locked in as I have ever seen him,’’ Jeter said.

Matsui, the 2000 MVP of the Japan Series, hit a two-run homer in the second, a two-run single in the third, and a two-run double in the fifth that broke the Phillies’ will.

Andy Pettitte, another free-agent candidate who has a better chance of the Yankees wanting him back than Matsui, provided 5 2/3 gutsy innings on three days’ rest.

Pettitte struggled with command problems from the first pitch, and his fifth walk to Chase Utley with one out in the sixth inning was followed by Ryan Howard’s opposite-field, two-run homer to left that cut the Yankees’ lead to 7-3.

Following a chat with Joe Girardi, Pettitte caught Jayson Werth looking for the second out. But when Raul Ibanez rifled a double into the right-field corner, Joba Chamberlain trotted in from the bullpen.

Pettitte, who is 18-9 in the postseason and 4-0 this year, left to a loud standing ovation. He allowed three runs, four hits and five walks.

With copies of yesterday’s Post poster of Pedro Martinez in a diaper being flashed around the Stadium that was filled with “Who’s Your Daddy?!’’ chants, Martinez lasted four innings. He gave up four runs and three hits, including Matsui’s two-run homer.

The victory vindicated Girardi’s decision to use Sabathia, Burnett and Pettitte on three days’ rest instead of trusting a World Series start to Chad Gaudin. And the manager erased all that criticism for using so many relievers in the ALCS against the Angels.

Jeter, Rivera, Pettitte and Posada will be fitted for their fifth World Series rings, all as Yankees.

Damaso Marte topped off a wonderful Series (five Ks in 2 2/3 innings) by fanning Chase Utley with two out to end the seventh and Ryan Howard starting the eighth.

Girardi then called for Rivera to get the final five outs.