Yankees close to World Series joy

Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez celebrate their victory

The New York Yankees are just one win away from clinching their 27th World Series title after beating Philadelphia 7-4 in game four to lead 3-1.

The Phillies levelled at 4-4 going into the ninth innings after solo homers from Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz.

But Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada drove in the crucial runs with two outs to move the Yankees to within touching distance of victory over the Phillies.

And closer Mariano Rivera sewed up the contest with an eight-pitch innings.

It was heartbreaking for the Phillies who had fought back to level through Utley and Feliz at Citizens Bank Park before reliever Brad Lidge had the Yankees on the brink in the ninth with two outs.

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But Johnny Damon got a base hit, his third of the night, before stealing second and third in the same play as the Phillies got jittery.

Lidge then hit Mark Teixeira before giving up the go-ahead run when Rodriguez fired one bounce into the left-field wall for Damon to get home.

The game was up for the defending champions soon after when Posada drove into centre field to bring Teixeira and Rodriguez over home plate.

The Yankees can clinch their first World Series victory since 2000 with a victory in game five on Monday night when southpaw Cliff Lee, the game one winner, will pitch for the reigning champions against Yankee game-two winner AJ Burnett.

"It would be great to get a win," said Yankee star Damon.

"We loved the way AJ threw the ball in game two."

Teams with a 3-1 edge have won the World Series 34 of 40 times, the most recent failure being when St Louis dropped the last three games to Kansas City to lose the 1985 Series.

New York's victory on Sunday night marked a remarkable turnaround after Philadelphia had won the opener in the Bronx before the Yankees levelled matters in the second match on their home turf.