Damon's Daring Dash Sparks Yanks 7-4 Win In Game 4

With two outs and the score tied 4-4 in the top of the ninth inning of Game 4 of the 2009 World Series against the Phillies, Johnny Damon battled at the plate until he stroked Brad Lidge's ninth pitch of the at bat to leftfield for a single that started yet another late-inning rally by the Bronx Bombers.

Then, on the first pitch to next batter Mark Teixeira, Damon took off for second and easily stole the base. On the play, with the shift on the right side of the infield for Teix, Damon quickly poped up from his slide, spun around, and sprinted towards third base which was not covered by any Phillie player because of the shift, earning Johnny an unchallenged second stolen base on a very rare base running play.

The unusual turn of events clearly unnerved the Phillies closer as Lidge then hit Teixeira that set up a first and third situation for Alex Rodriguez.

And, A-Rod delivered ... one of his biggest hits as a Yankee, a RBI double that plated Damon with the go-ahead run, moving the Yankees into the 5-4 lead.

Jorge Posada followed with a two-RBI single that scored Teixeira and Rodriguez with two big insurance runs, capping the scoring in the Yankees 7-4 victory.

The Great Mariano Rivera closed out the Yankees win with an easy one-two-three ninth inning that gave the Bombers a three games to one lead in the 2009 World Series.

The Yankees starter on the mound, CC Sabathia, was pitching with three days rest, and gave the Yanks a very solid effort even though he struggled throughout his six and two-thirds innings of work in which he gave up three runs, on seven hits, three walks, and six strikeouts, while throwing 107 pitches.

Damaso Marte recorded the final out of the seventh inning, protecting the Yanks 4-3 lead as the game entered the eight.

Joba Chamberlain was then called on to build the "Bridge to Mariano". But, even though Joba struck out the side, he allowed a two-out, solo homer to Pedro Feliz on a three-two pitch that resulted in the Phillies tying the score at 4-4.

The Yankees jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first off Phillies starter Joe Blanton on a lead-off single by Derek Jeter, which was followed by a double by Damon, and, a RBI groundout by Teixeira; A-Rod reaching first on a hit-by-pitch; and, a sac-fly by Posada.

The hit-by-pitch was the third time Alex has been hit in this Series, and resulted in the home plate umpire issuing warnings to both benches. It seems obvious, the Phillies would rather hit A-Rod with one pitch instead of using four balls to walk him to first.

Anyway, the Phillies scored one run in the bottom of the first to cut the Yanks lead in half; and, scored again in the fourth to tie the score 2-2.  

Then, in the top of the fifth, Nick Swisher walked; Melky Cabrera singled; Jeter [2-for-4], hit a RBI single that gave the Yanks a 3-2 lead; which was followed by a RBI single by Damon [3-for-5], that increased the Bombers lead to 4-2 at the time.

Blanton delivered a serviceable six innings starting this game for the Phillies, a move that has been, and will always be questioned, as manager Charlie Manuel decided "not" to  pitch his "ace" Cliff Lee on three days rest, which would have matched Lee up against the Yankees "ace" CC Sabathia who "was" working on three days rest.

Advantage Joe Girardi on these pitching decisions, as the Yankees manager has perfectly set CC in the rotation to pitch games one, four, and seven [if necessary].

So, the New York Yankees are now up in this Series 3-1, with A.J. Burnett [on three days rest] taking the mound against Cliff Lee in Game 5.

Alex Rodriguez had the game-winning hit in Game 4; but, it was Johnny Damon's classic nine-pitch at-bat; single; and two stolen bases, in the ninth inning that sparked the Yankees victory.

Much like Paul O'Neill's classic ten-pitch at-bat against Armando Beitez in the ninth inning of Game One of the 2000 World Series against the New York Mets, Damon's at-bat has now become another special moment in Yankees history.

Johnny Damon's great game and play in this World Series may lead to him be selected MVP, as the Yankees are on a solid path to their 27th World Championship.

The "Magic Number" is now "ONE" for number 27.

"GO YANKEES" !!!  

-- Jimmy, "BY&L"