SIMPLY DAMONIC!

Or would that be Daemonic? Demonic? Eh, Damonic works, as it was most definitely Johnny Damon's efforts that won Game Four for the Yankees last night. That's not to diminish ARod's clutch game-winning double, which was a shear joy to see, but Damon gave a good argument for the current lead in World Series MVP voting.

His a-bat versus Phillies closer Brad Lidge was epic, going 9 pitches after being down 0-2, and worthy of a Paul O'Neal comparison. Damon won the battle, slapping a trademark single with two outs, but it's what happened next that is the stuff of legends. Johnny-on-the-spot attempted a base steal, and with an offensive shift of Mark Teixeira, third baseman Pedro Feliz covered second. The throw pulled Feliz away from the bag ever so slightly, and Damon alertly popped back up and ran to an uncovered third! He made it, and in the process completely rattled Lidge.

The Closer proceeded to plunk Teixeira, and then ARod fired a double that should've made the real Liberty Bell ring! Jorge Posada tacked on with a two run single, and Mariano Rivera neatly closed it out.

After Feliz had tied the score half an inning earlier, Philadelphia had smelled a series tie as well, but this NY team has as much guts as its city, and with Cliff Lee approaching for more Yankee blood in Game Five, a win here was much needed. Leaving Philly with two wins was beyond expectations, but now the Yankees find themselves with three chances to win their 27th World Championship. The quest continues tonight.