So now it falls on the left arm of Old Reliable.
Andy Pettitte won the final game at the old Stadium last year, the AL East title clincher in The Bronx last month and gets a crack tonight at winning the game that could send the Yankees to their first World Series in six years.
“This is what I came back for,” said Pettitte, who will take the ball against the Angels’ Joe Saunders in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series. “I have a tremendous opportunity to help this organization get back to another World Series. More than anything, I’m just thankful for that.”
Pettitte wasn’t awful in his Game 3 start at Anaheim, but he also made a mistake to Vladimir Guerrero that shifted the momentum in the Angels’ favor. Guerrero hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning that tied the score in a game the Yanks lost 5-4 in 11 innings.
Overall, Pettitte allowed three earned runs on seven hits and a walk over 61/3 innings. If manager Joe Girardi has a plea for tonight, it might be that Pettitte gives him at least seven strong innings, helping ease the burden on his bullpen.
“Hopefully our offense can put some runs on the board so we can have Andy relax out there and pitch a good ballgame,” Johnny Damon said.
For Pettitte, it will be another opportunity to take the lead in all-time postseason victories. Pettitte and John Smoltz have each won 15 career postseason games. It would also give him a record fifth victory in a postseason clincher.
But that takes a backseat to putting the Yankees in position for a victory. The last thing the Yankees want is a Game 7 tomorrow — and the reminder for the likes of Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada of the three-game ALCS lead they squandered against Boston in 2004.
A year earlier, Pettitte faced the Red Sox in Game 6 of the ALCS and struggled, allowing four earned runs over five innings. The Yankees lost the game, but won the pennant on Aaron Boone’s dramatic homer the following night.
“All of [my] experience is not going to help my pitches be where they need to be when I go out there in the first inning,” Pettitte said. “Hopefully, it’s just there. Hopefully, I get everything going and give us a chance to win that ballgame.”
mpuma@nypost.com