CLOSER LOOK Jorge Posada's bases-loaded walk off Josh Beckett in the fourth inning got the Yankees going and showed that little patience can go a long way. SPOTLIGHT HERO: Derek Jeter The Yankees' captain had the only three hits off Josh Beckett and started the decisive eighth-inning with a one-out double. He also scored three runs. GOAT: Derrek Lee The Marlins' first sacker tapped back to the mound with runners on the corners and one out in the sixth. He also failed to guard the line on a Jeter's clutch hit. GO FIGURE 1 -- Team (out of 13) since 1970 that has lost Game 3 in a 1-1 series has come back to win the World Series (1979 Pirates). 3 -- Pitchers who have struck out 10 or more batters in their World Series debut: Beckett, Randy Johnson and Blue Moon Odom. 29 1/3 -- Innings pitched this postseason by Mike Mussina without a lead until Godzilla's tie-breaking RBI single in the eighth inning.

MIAMI -- I don't want to say the Florida Marlins are cooked yet. I really don't. These guys are tough. They're sinewy. They've got a lot of gristle. They are, in fact, hard to cook.

But they are softened up. They are tenderized. They're all juicy and ready for the flame.

And the Yanks are about to bring the heat.

The Marlins lost Game 3 of the World Series on Tuesday to the New York Yankees, 6-1, in a game the Marlins absolutely, without a doubt had to have.

Their best pitcher was on the mound. They were home in their stadium -- or, at least the football stadium they grudgingly call home. Their fans were in the seats to the tune of 65,000-plus.

Gloria Estefan sang the Star Spangled Banner. Yanni, who is catcher Ivan Rodriguez's favorite musician (don't ask), was in the stands. The rains came long and heavy. There was even a 39-minute delay.

In short, everything was in place. After a frigid first two games in New York City, it was time for some baseball, South Florida style.

But nothing worked for the Marlins on Tuesday. Nothing. The Yankees fought against the Marlins' ace, 23-year-old Josh Beckett, waiting him out until he couldn't finish the eighth. They blasted just about everyone coming in from the bullpen. Aaron Boone smacked a home run. Bernie Williams launched a three-run shot.

Meanwhile, the Florida bats couldn't do a thing. The Marlins had their first extra-base hits of the Series, but even those weren't enough to rattle Yankees starter Mike Mussina. And when Mariano Rivera came into the game in the eighth inning, it was as it almost always is with Rivera. Over.

Now, the Marlins face Roger Clemens in the swan song of his Hall of Fame career on Wednesday night. Every one of the Yankees will be trying to send him out a winner. Then the Marlins face lefty David Wells, another veteran of the baseball postseason, in Game 5.

Florida will counter with Carl Pavano, who has been better as a reliever than a starter this postseason, against Clemens. Brad Penny, who won Game 1 -- somehow -- is scheduled to go against Wells on Thursday.

For the Marlins, it's all uphill from here.

"It was really a big win for us, especially against [Beckett]," said Yankees left fielder Hideki Matsui, who slapped the go-ahead single off Beckett.

Yes, this was one the Marlins had to have, and one the Yankees wanted badly. When one team beats another team's ace, it sends a message, and it's pretty clear to hear.

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Is that the best you got?

"Every time you get to another team's ace ... I'm not going to say it gives you extra confidence, but it does give you a little lift," Yankees outfielder Karim Garcia said. "Nothing we're going to get tomorrow is going to be 97-98 mph [like Beckett's] with that nasty curveball."

Of course, anyone who writes off the Marlins now needs to jump in the wayback and check out way back to last week, when this same team faced a 3-1 hole in the National League Championship Series and came back to win. They won the last two games, at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs, beating two of the best pitchers in baseball, Mark Prior and Kerry Wood.

But there is a big difference between now and a week ago. The Marlins got a Game 5 win against the Cubs, the one that started the comeback, because Beckett threw a two-hitter. That card has been played already in this Series.

If the Marlins are going to come back against the Yankees, they'll have to do it with pitchers who aren't as good as Beckett. They'll have to do it against a team that knows that.

They'll also somehow have to find their offense against the veteran Yankees pitchers. Through the first three games of this Series, the Marlins are hitting just .216. They've scored only five runs. They have only 21 hits, and only three for extra bases (they're all doubles).

The winner of Game 3 in a World Series that is tied 1-1 has won the Series 33 times, including the past seven times in that situation. That's some pretty convincing history the Marlins will have to beat.

Yes, the Marlins, now down 2-1 in this first-to-four race, know about beating history. They learned that in Chicago. But this is not Chicago, and these are not the Cubs.

This is the World Series. These are the Yankees. The Marlins aren't cooked yet. But it's time to call everyone to the table.

John Donovan is a senior writer for SI.com.