Hideki Matsui drove in a record-tying six runs to power the New York Yankees past Philadelphia 7-3 on Wednesday, giving them a record 27th World Series crown and their first since 2000.

The Yankees won Major League Baseball’s best-of-seven final 4-2 over the defending champion Phillies, extending the greatest legacy of championship success in North American pro sports.

Designated hitter Matsui smashed his third home run of the Series, a two-run blast to right field in the second inning, adding a two-run single in the third and a two-run double in the fifth.

The 35-year-old Japanese star matched the World Series one-game record for knocking in runs set by Yankees star Bobby Richardson in 1960.

Matsui, who batted .615 for the Series, was named the Most Valuable Player of the World Series, an unprecedented honour for an Asian player.

Matsui’s heroics came in what could be his final game in a Yankees uniform since he was not signed beyond this season, but he achieved the dream he had when he joined the Yankees in 2003.

Andy Pettitte won his record-extending 18th playoff game, the 37-year-old US southpaw having also taken the game three victory.

The Yankees became the first World Series champion since Minnesota in 2001 to use only a three-man starting rotation of pitchers, including 2008 free agent signees Pettitte, CC Sabathia and AJ Burnett.

After Alex Rodriguez walked to open the second inning, Matsui smashed a full-count pitch off Phillies starter Pedro Martinez high into the right-field stands to give the Yankees a 2-0 lead.

Philadelphia answered in the third when Carlos Ruiz tripled and scored on a Jimmy Rollins sacrifice fly.

But Matsui struck again in the third, coming to the plate with the bases loaded and two out to face Martinez – loathed by Yankees fans after his years with the arch-rival Boston Red Sox.

Matsui smacked a single up the middle to score Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon, giving the Yankees a 4-1 lead.

Damon strained his right calf while running the bases and was removed but the Yankees had plenty of slugging power without him.

Martinez, the game two loser, struggled with control problems and was removed after only four innings but his replacements had problems of their own.

Mark Teixeira singled in a run in the fifth and Rodriguez walked to bring Matsui to the plate against Phillies southpaw reliever JA Happ.

The former Yomiuri Giants star bashed a double to centerfield to give the Yankees a 7-1 lead, giving him eight runs batted in for the Series.

Philadelphia refused to surrender as Ryan Howard bashed a two-run homer in the sixth to pull his club within 7-3 and help chase Pettitte from the mound.

The Phillies put two runners on base in the seventh for Chase Utley, who had tied a one-Series record with five homers.

But the Yankees brought in reliever Damaso Marte and the Dominican southpaw struck out Utley to end the inning.

New York brought in closing relief ace Mariano Rivera and the 39-year-old Panamanian right-hander secured the final outs to touch off a wild celebration.

NEW YORK — If the Yankees were looking to change their tune heading into game two of the World Series, they couldn’t have picked better musical guests. Jay-Z and Alicia Keys rocked the sell-out crowd at Yankee Stadium with a raucous performance of the Big Apple anthem “Empire State of Mind.”

Decked out in his trademark Yankee fitted hat and matching jacket, Jay was looking to rally his team after a loss Wednesday. From the sound of things, he certainly did. The stadium thundered its approval after the duo’s performance.

“I made the Yankees hat more famous than a Yankee can,” he rapped from a stage placed in the outfield.

Swizz Beatz and Bruce Willis were among the many famous New Yorkers in attendance who swayed to the rapper’s lyrics.

“New Yoooorrrrk,” Keys sang from behind her piano before joining Jay-Z out front.

Images of the city flashed across several giant screens throughout the stadium.

The Yanks and the legendary MC already have a working relationship with each other. Derek Jeter uses “Empire State of Mind” as his at-bat music, and slugger Alex Rodriguez steps up to the batter’s box to the Roc Nation head honcho’s “Already Home.”

Jay-Z seemed to sense the moment and, as usual, rose to the occasion like Jeter would. “Let’s go,” he said afterward as he walked into the bowels of the stadium and climbed into the Maybach waiting for him.

After Thursday’s (October 29) game, the series shifts to Philadelphia, where the champs will host games three, four and (if necessary) five at Citizens Bank Ballpark.