Gov. Ed Rendell and Mayor Michael Nutter held a news conference hours before a 6 p.m. ET strike deadline Saturday — hours before Game 3 of the series — to announce that "substantial progress" had been made.

The union had threatened to strike just after midnight Friday if there was no accord with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority. But it agreed to Rendell's request to keep talking on Saturday, when the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Yankees are scheduled to play.

The union representing more than 5,000 bus drivers, subway and trolley operators and mechanics voted Oct. 25 to authorize a strike.