2009 Major League Baseball season began on April 5 , 2009 , the regular season was extended two days for a one-game playoff between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins to decide the American League Central Division champion . The postseason began the next day with the Division Series . The World Series began on October 28 , and ended on November 4 , with the New York Yankees defeating the Philadelphia Phillies in six games . This was the second time the season was completed in November . The only other occasion was the 2001 World Series , because of the delaying of the end of that season due to the September 11 attacks as November baseball would be guaranteed when Game 4 was played on Sunday , November 1 . Had the 2009 World Series gone the full seven games , Game 7 would 've been played on November 5 , the latest date ever scheduled for a World Series game . American League champion had home field advantage for the World Series by virtue of winning the All-Star Game on July 14 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis , Missouri , 4 – 3 . In addition , the annual Civil Rights Game became a regular season game , and was played June 20 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati , Ohio , when the host Cincinnati Reds lost to the Chicago White Sox in an interleague game , 10 – 8 . Both teams wore replicas of their 1965 uniforms in the contest
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
2009 Major League Baseball season