Yanks close in on title

PHILADELPHIA --

Alex Rodriguez waited all game long for this hit. Heck, he waited his whole life.

Rodriguez delivered the biggest hit of his career, a go-ahead, two-out double in the ninth inning off Brad Lidge and the New York Yankees took advantage of Johnny Damon's daring dash to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4 last night night for a 3-1 lead in the World Series.

Derek Jeter delivered again and Mariano Rivera closed it out as the Yankees moved within one win of that elusive 27th championship and first since 2000. Rodriguez could really savor this victory -- seething after again being hit by a pitch, he struck back with his potent black bat.

The Yankees will try to clinch it tonight when A.J. Burnett faces October ace Cliff Lee.

"Facing Brad Lidge, he's a great competitor. He's had a lot of success late here. Just trying to make contact there," Rodriguez said.

Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz hit late home runs for the Phillies that tied it at 4. Then it moved to the ninth and Phils brought in Lidge -- a postseason star last year, he had struggled all season before regaining his touch this October.

But November was not so kind to him.

Lidge had been the only closer in the playoffs who hadn't allowed a run until the Yankees tagged him. With two outs, Damon capped a nine-pitch at-bat with a single. The Phillies overshifted their infield to the right side for Mark Teixeira and Damon took off.

Damon beat the one-hop throw to steal second, popped up from his slide and noticed no one was covering third. That's because Feliz had handled the throw, and Damon easily beat the third baseman to the bag for a rare double-steal -- fact is, who'd ever seen it?

Rattled or whatever, Lidge hit Teixeira with a pitch. So up stepped Rodriguez, 1 for 13 to that point in his first World Series and looking nothing like the feared slugger he was earlier in these playoffs.

Putting all his past postseason failures behind, Rodriguez lined a solid double into the left-field corner for a 5-4 lead. He connected so solidly, the sound echoed throughout Citizens Bank Park. Maybe it wasn't such a surprise -- Rodriguez had homered and doubled in three prior at-bats against Lidge.

The crowd was silent when Jorge Posada followed with a two-run single. And just like that, the Yankees were on the verge of celebrating and the defending champion Phillies were on the brink of getting eliminated.

Feliz rocked Yankees setup man Joba Chamberlain with a two-out, solo home run in the eighth that tied it at 4.

Utley homered again off CC Sabathia, finishing the New York starter in the seventh inning.

It was Utley's third shot off Sabathia in this Series and closed the Phillies to 4-3.

(Last night's Game Four)

N.Y. ab r h bi Phila. ab r h bi

Jeter ss 4 1 2 1 Rollins ss 5 0 1 0

Damon lf 5 2 3 1 Victorn cf 4 1 1 0

Teix 1b 4 1 0 1 Utley 2b 4 1 2 2

Rdrgz 3b 4 1 1 1 Howard 1b 4 1 1 0

Posada c 3 0 1 3 Werth rf 3 0 0 0

Cano 2b 4 0 1 0 Ibanez lf 4 0 0 0

Sisher rf 2 1 0 0 Feliz 3b 4 1 3 2

MeCarr cf 3 1 1 0 .Ruiz c 3 0 0 0

Gardnr cf 1 0 0 0 Blanton p 2 0 0 0

Sathia p 3 0 0 0 BFrncs ph 1 0 0 0

DMarte p 0 0 0 0 Park p 0 0 0 0

Chmrln p 0 0 0 0 Madson p 0 0 0 0

Matsu ph 1 0 0 0 Lidge p 0 0 0 0

MaRivr p 0 0 0 0 Stairs ph 1 0 0 0

Totals 34 7 9 7 Totals 35 4 8 4

New York 200 020 003 -- 7

Philadelphia 100 100 110 -- 4

E--Posada (1), Ibanez (1). LOB--New York 7, Philadelphia 7. 2B--Damon (2), A.Rodriguez (1), Victorino (1), Utley (1). HR--Utley (3), P.Feliz (1). SB--Damon 2 (3), Howard (1). SF--Posada.

New York IP H R ER BB SO

Sabathia 62/3 7 3 3 3 6

D.Marte H,1 1/3 0 0 0 0 0

Cerlain W,1-0 1-1 1 1 1 1 0 3

Ma.Rivera S,2-2 1 0 0 0 0 0

Philadelphia IP H R ER BB SO

Blanton 6 5 4 4 2 7

Park 1 0 0 0 1 1

Madson 1 1 0 0 1 2

Lidge L,0-1 1 3 3 3 0 1

HBP--by Lidge (Teixeira), by Blanton (A.Rodriguez). T--3:25. A--46,145 (43,647).

(Saturday's late game)

N.Y. ab r h bi Phila. ab r h bi

Jeter ss 5 1 1 0 Rins ss 4 0 1 1

Damon lf 4 1 1 2 Vtorn cf 3 0 0 1

Teixeir 1b 3 1 0 0 Utley 2b 4 0 0 0

Rdrgz 3b 2 1 1 2 Hard 1b 4 0 0 0

Posada c 5 0 1 1 Werth rf 4 2 2 2

Cano 2b 4 0 0 0 Ibanez lf 4 0 0 0

Swisher rf 4 2 2 1 .Feliz 3b 4 1 1 0

Gardnr cf 0 0 0 0 C.Ruiz c 2 2 1 1

MeCarr rf 4 0 0 0 Hmels p 1 0 1 0

Pettitte p 3 1 1 1 Happ p 0 0 0 0

Chrln p 0 0 0 0 Brtltt ph 1 0 0 0

HMatsu ph 1 1 1 1 Durbin p 0 0 0 0

DMarte p 0 0 0 0 Myers p 0 0 0 0

PHughs p 0 0 0 0 Mdson p 0 0 0 0

MaRivr p 0 0 0 0 Stairs ph 1 0 0 0

Totals 35 8 8 8 Totals 32 5 6 5

New York 000 231 110 -- 8

Philadelphia 030 001 001 -- 5

E--A.Rodriguez (1). LOB--New York 6, Philadelphia 5. 2B--Damon (1), Swisher (1), P.Feliz (1). HR--A.Rodriguez (1), Swisher (1), H.Matsui (2), Werth 2 (2), C.Ruiz (1). SB--Damon (1), Rollins (2). S--Hamels. SF--Victorino.

New York IP H R ER BB SO

Pettitte W,1-0 6 5 4 4 3 7

Chamberlain H,1 1 0 0 0 0 0

D.Marte 1 0 0 0 0 2

P.Hughes 1/3 1 1 1 0 0

Ma.Rivera 2/3 0 0 0 0 0

Philadelphia IP H R ER BB SO

Hamels L,0-1 41/3 5 5 5 2 3

Happ 12/3 1 1 1 0 1

Durbin 1 1 1 1 1 2

Myers 1 1 1 1 0 2

Madson 1 0 0 0 1 0