By Jim Scott
DNAinfo Associate Editor
MANHATTAN - The Yankees are one win away from their 27th World Series Championship and they have Johnny Damon to thank for it.
Damon singled, stole two bases and scored the winning run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning to spark the Yankees to a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the World Series at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday night.
Alex Rodriguez doubled off Phillies closer Brad Lidge to drive Damon home.
Rodriguez said it was the Damon's nine-pitch at bat against Lidge that set up the Yankees rally.
"The whole key for that inning was an unbelievable, tenacious at bat by Johnny Damon," said Rodriguez.
After getting reaching base, Damon stole second on Lidge's first pitch to Mark Teixeira and then took advantage of a defensive lapse by Philadelphia.
The Phillies had three infielders shifted over to the right side of the infield with Teixeira betting left handed, forcing third baseman Pedro Feliz to cover second base on Damon's steal attempt. Damon saw third base was uncovered and outran Feliz to the bag.
"I'm just glad when I started running I still had some of my young legs behind me," said Damon, who finished the game with three hits and two runs scored.
Teixeira was then hit by a pitch setting up Rodriguez's game-winning hit.
"I've never had a bigger hit," said Rodriguez, who's batting just .143 in the series.
Catcher Jorge Posada followed with a two-run single to give the Yankees a 7-4 lead.
Closer Mariano Rivera got three quick outs in the bottom of the inning to earn his second save of the series.
Damon's night overshadowed a strong pitching performance by Yankees starter CC Sabathia, who was pitching on short rest. He gave up three runs, seven hits and struck out six in 6 2/3 innings
"I thought he did pretty well. This is a very tough line up to navigate through," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said during the postgame press conference. "I thought he gave a gutsy performance."
Phillies second baseman Chase Utley homered off Sabathia and third baseman Pedro Feliz hit a solo shot off Joba Chamberlain to tie the game at 4-4 in the eighth inning.
Philadelphia will have lefty Cliff Lee on the mound Monday as they try to extend the series to a sixth game. Lee gave up one unearned run and struck out 10 to beat the Yankees 6-1 in Game 1 of the series on Wednesday.
Righty A.J. Burnett will try to follow Sabathia's lead and wrap up the series for the Yankees.
"I have a lot of confidence in A.J.," Sabathia said Sunday. "He's ready and he's been there for us all year."
Burnett will pitch on short rest after dominating the Phillies in a 3-1 New York win Game 2 at Yankee Stadium on Thursday.
"I'm going to go out with everything I got," Burnett said. "I take nothing for granted. I've seen some crazy things this postseason."
