New York » Fourth inning, big boppers due up for the powerful New York Yankees.

Mark Teixeira, strike three swinging.

Alex Rodriguez, same thing.

Jorge Posada, another whiff.

Baffled all game by a quick-working Cliff Lee, Rodriguez and the Yankees went silent at the plate during a 6-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series opener Wednesday night.

"We're going to have to figure out a way to beat him," Rodriguez said. "I don't think we need to overthink about tonight. Tonight was a dominant pitcher on the mound who dominated our lineup and probably would have dominated any lineup in baseball. So I wouldn't worry about it too much."

Rodriguez struck out his first two times up and never hit the ball out of the infield. Not exactly what the three-time MVP had in mind for his World Series debut -- especially after putting on such a dazzling display of consistent clutch hitting in the AL playoffs.

The slugger finished 0 for 4 with three of New York's 10 Ks, his first three-strikeout game since July 30. That spelled the end of his 11-game postseason hitting streak.

Lee went the distance and became the first pitcher to strike out Rodriguez three times in a game since Philadelphia lefty Cole Hamels did it on May 24. Hamels is slated to start Game 3.

A-Rod waited 16 major league seasons to reach a World Series. Sixteen years ... for that?

"You move on -- quick," he said. "You have to have a short memory."

Most of his teammates fared no better. New York managed six hits, one for extra bases, and went down meekly in most innings against Lee.

"He broke about 10 of our bats today, two of them mine. He didn't make any mistakes," Johnny Damon said. "They kicked our butts today. We definitely need to get the bats going."

What happened to all those big Yankees bats, the relentless offensive machine that led the majors this season with 915 runs and 51 comeback wins? Where was the fearsome club that hit 14 homers in nine AL playoff games?

Derek Jeter was the only hitter who looked comfortable against Lee, going 3 for 4 with a double. New York's lone run came on a throwing error by shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the ninth.

Until then, the Yankees had been shut out in 21 consecutive World Series innings at home.