The Japanese designated hitter drove in six runs with a home run, single and a double Wednesday, powering the New York Yankees to their first World Series title since 2000 with a 7-3 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6.

The six RBI tied a World Series record set by the Yankees' Bobby Richardson on Oct. 8, 1960, in Game 3 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Matsui was named Series MVP after batting .615 (8-for-13) with three home runs and eight RBI. The last two figures were as many as all but two of his teammates had for the full postseason. No Yankee had driven in that many runs in the World Series since Reggie Jackson in 1977 and '78.

"All I can say right now is this is great," Matsui said through an interpreter. "I feel so happy."

Matsui gave the sellout crowd of 50,315 an early jolt of excitement when he pounded a Pedro Martinez fastball into Yankee Stadium's second deck for a 2-0 lead in the second.

In the third, he extended New York's lead to 4-1 with a two-run single off Martinez with the bases loaded.

Matsui had a .244 average with three RBI in 45 career at-bats against Martinez, including the postseason, but had taken him deep twice.

One of them was in Game 2, a shot into the short porch in right field that broke a 1-1 tie as the Yankees evened the series with a 3-1 victory.

Trailing 5-1 in the fifth Wednesday, the Phillies brought in left-handed reliever J.A. Happ to face Matsui with two on. The DH, who had 13 of his 28 home runs and 46 of his 90 RBI against left-handers, foiled the strategy by crunching a Happ slider off the right-center-field fence to drive in two more runs as the Yankees took a commanding 7-1 lead.

Matsui, 35, is completing a four-year, $52 million contract and will become a free agent this offseason. He did not play in the outfield this season because of knee trouble, which might compromise his chances of returning to the Yankees, a hot topic among the large contingent of Japanese reporters following him.

"I hope it works out in the end," Matsui said. "I love New York. I love the Yankees."

Matsui was limited to pinch-hitting duties in the three games in Philadelphia. He still found a way to make his mark, blasting a solo home run in the Yankees' Game 3 win and going 2-for-3 overall at Citizens Bank Park.

"He's been a remarkable player for us," general manager Brian Cashman said. "When he came over from Japan, he ended it with a championship, and I'm glad he's got one with us, too."

Enlarge By H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY Hideki Matsui, who batted .615 in the World Series, hoists his Series MVP hardware after his six-RBI game in the clincher.