A day after the New York Yankees came back to win Game 3, Johnny Damon became the difference-maker with a two-out, ninth-inning, game-saving performance.

The Yankees took a 3-1 World Series lead with a 7-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies just after the reigning champs had started a rally in the seventh inning. Chase Utley took CC Sabathia’s 107th pitch of the evening into the right-field bleachers to make it a one-run game on his third bomb of the Series. An inning later, Pedro Feliz nailed a 97 mph Joba Chamberlain fastball the opposite direction to tie it up.

Enter the once unhittable Brad Lidge. However, an impostor (the same wannabe who stood in his place time and again this season) stood on the mound and completely blew it. The Phillies closer – an incredible 48-for-48 in save opportunities last season — sent Hideki Matsui and Derek Jeter packing to kick off the inning.

Then Johnny Damon stepped up to the plate and Citizen’s bank was going nuts. Nine pitches later, the left fielder was standing on first base after punching one into left field. What he did next really won the game for the Yanks: he stole second with Mark Teixeira at the plate, then third when he saw it was wide open and ready for the taking with Pedro Feliz covering second and his head up his rear.

Alex Rodriguez then came up with probably the biggest hit of his life to drive in Damon before Jorge Posada brought in two more. And maybe none of that would’ve been possible without Damon’s heads-up sprint from first to an uncommanded third base.

New York’s A.J. Burnett, on short rest, will face the unstoppable force known as Cliff Lee for Game 5 in the house of the -157 favorite Phillies at 7:57pm ET on FOX.

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5. Damon Blocks Boston Return