A-Rod Delivers, Yankees Closing In On Title

Sports News - November 2nd, 2009 - Written by John

Just when Brad Lidge seemed to have cleared up his issues, just when the Phillies looked like they had stolen the momentum, just when it looked like the series would be tied, Alex Rodriguez dug in and earned his paycheck.

Baseball's best-paid player drove in the deciding run in the top of the ninth inning and scored on a Jorge Posada single to propel the New York Yankees to a 7-4 win in Game Four. It gave them a commanding 3-1 lead over the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies with one game until they wrap up the franchise's 27th title.

"No question, I've never had a bigger hit," Rodriguez said.

In terms of stage, he's probably right. It wasn't more than a double, but it came at the exact point in the game general manager Brian Cashman envisioned when he acquired and extended the two largest contracts in baseball history. New York had led all game long, but surrendered the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning when Pedro Feliz hit a two-out solo homer against Joba Chamberlain, who had struck out the two previous hitters.

Philadelphia fans began waving their white towels and Citizen's Bank Park started to rock as Lidge came to the mound to maintain the 4-4 tie. He had been a perfect three-for-three in save opportunities this postseason and seemed to have shaken off the memories of a miserable regular season.

Not with the Yankees. And as Chamberlain began to lay into himself, head down in the dugout, he became the winning pitcher just minutes later.

Johnny Damon worked an nine-pitch at-bat and singled to get the inning started. Mark Teixeira was next up, and Damon stole second base. But the Phillies played Teixeira on a shift, leaving the entire left side of the field unmanned, and when Damon saw third base open, he popped up from second and outran Feliz to the bag.

“I think what I had to see before I started running for third base was how Pedro caught the ball,” Damon said. “I knew it [dragged] him off. I’m just glad when I started running, I still had some of my young legs behind me.

“It worked out, because being at third base, it took away a tough slider in the dirt [from Lidge]. Alex got two fastballs. It did work out for us.”

The extra base didn't really effect the game like it could have, but it was telling to how the Yankees have pretty much taken whatever they've wanted all series. Teixeira was beaned on the next pitch and Rodriguez whipped the third pitch he saw down the left field line to put runners at second and third. Posada then followed with a looping single to center to score Teixeira and Rodriguez and make it a three-run game.

Mariano Rivera tossed a scoreless ninth, all three outs going to Teixeira at first base, and the Yankees have the Phillies in a chokehold.

Starter C.C. Sabathia, starting on three days' rest, left with the lead in the seventh, but didn't get the win. He gave up another homer to Chase Utley, but only surrendered three runs with six strikeouts.

To get back in the series, Philadelphia will turn to their ace, who they could've started Sunday night and might've tied the series for it. Cliff Lee takes the ball in the first elimination game of the series and will pitch against New York's A.J. Burnett. Lee was brilliant in the Phillies' only win against the Yankees. He tossed a four-hit complete-game and struck out 10. Like Sabathia, he will pitch on three days' rest, something he's never done in his career.

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