by by Paul Hagen , The Philadelphia Daily News

The consensus was overwhelming. Manuel had been outmaneuvered. The assumption was that Sabathia, even if he wasn't 100 percent, would beat Blanton. Then the Yankees would need just one more win to cancel the Phillies' subscription to Defending World Champions Annual.

What was generally overlooked was that Girardi had also crawled out on to a limb. Maybe even more than Manuel. By starting Sabathia, he pretty much committed himself to a course of using his rotation with short rest for the remainder of the World Series. It will be A.J. Burnett on 3 days tonight. If need be, he would presumably be followed by Andy Pettitte on 3 days back at Yankee Stadium for Game 6 Wednesday night. And, if necessary, Sabathia on short rest for the second straight start in the decisive Game 7.

Each would be opposed by a Phillies pitcher with full rest.

The only way out of the pattern that Girardi has set in motion would be to insert, say, Chad Gaudin at some point. And he has pitched just one inning in the entire postseason.

Bottom line: While it may not have appeared that way on the surface, New York needed last night's game just as much as the Phillies .

As it turned out, the Yankees won, 7-4. The Phillies are officially on the brink.

But they aren't a loss away from elimination because Blanton pitched poorly or because Sabathia was so dominant. They lost because two of the runners who scored against Blanton (Derek Jeter in the first, Melky Cabrera in the fourth) reached base on infield hits. And because Jeter's RBI in the fourth was on a grounder that just got past shortstop Jimmy Rollins and Johnny Damon's was on a flare to right.

Because the middle of the lineup continues to struggle. Because Brad Lidge gave up three runs in the top of the ninth after getting two quick outs.

The consolation for the Phillies , such as it is, is that they at least have Lee rested and ready for tonight.

HeroAlex Rodriguez. The Yankees third baseman drove in the winning run with a double in the top of the ninth. A superstar who until this year had a reputation for coming up small in the biggest situation, has tied a franchise record with 15 RBI in the postseason.

Said A-Rod: "There's no question, I have never had a bigger hit."

GoatBrad Lidge. The Phillies hoped he was back. They prayed he was back. But when he made his first World Series appearance of the year, coming into a tie game in the top of the ninth, he gave up three runs after two were out with nobody on base.

The statHere's why it was so critical for the Phillies to win last night:

Since division play began in 1969, 15 teams have fallen behind three games to one in the World Series.

Only two - the 1979 Orioles and the 1985 Royals - rallied to win the world championship.

So, yes, the odds are strongly stacked against the Phillies now.

Did you notice . . . -- That Ryan Howard didn't appear to touch the plate while scoring the tying run in the bottom of the fourth? His headfirst dive kept catcher Jorge Posada from getting a grip on Johnny Damon's throw from left, but the replay showed that he went right over home without actually touching it. Normally if the umpire notices he makes no call at all, but balls-and-strikes ump Mike Everitt signaled that Howard was safe.

-- That Phillies manager Charlie Manuel explained his decision to use Eric Bruntlett instead of Ben Francisco as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning Saturday night by saying there was "still plenty of game left" . . . then used Francisco in virtually the same situation last night?

Numerology3: Times in six plate appearances Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez had been hit by a pitch after being drilled by Joe Blanton in the first inning last night. That convinced the umpires to issue a warning to both benches.

7: Postseason home runs allowed by Cole Hamels in 19 postseason innings, tying the all-time record for a single postseason. The rest of the Phillies staff has combined to allow six in 96 innings.

10: Strikeouts for Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard. The World Series record is 12, by Kansas City's Willie Wilson, against the Phillies in 1980.

Work, work, workJ.A. Happ is a strong Rookie of the Year candidate. He went 10-4, 2.99 in 23 starts after being moved into the rotation in late May. And yet, barring an unforeseen twist, will make only one start this postseason. And that was in the Division Series, against the Rockies, a team extremely vulnerable to lefthanded pitching.

Happ has already pitched a career-high 171 1/3 innings this season. So is it possible that that had something to do with the Phillies' reluctance to start him in the postseason?

Rich Dubee said that's not it.

"Not as much as that we just felt he'd play a bigger role in our bullpen, being lefthanded," the pitching coach explained. "If J.C. Romero [elbow] had been healthy, it might have been a different story. But you've got to play the cards you're dealt."

The Phillies had to decide between Happ and righthander Joe Blanton to start last night.

Miscellany-- The camera that jutted over the railing in the rightfield corner during Game 3 was moved back slightly last night so that the front was not in the field of play. That became an issue when Alex Rodriguez hit a long fly ball in the fourth inning that was first ruled a double, then changed to a home run after the umps reviewed the video and (correctly) decided that the ball had hit the camera before bouncing back onto the field.

-- According to the Elias Sports Bureau, yesterday was the first time that a World Series game (Yankees- Phillies ) and NFL game (Giants-Eagles) matching teams representing the same cities have been played in the same city on the same day. However, it's the third time in the last 6 years that Baseball and football have shared the stage during the Fall Classic, including last year when the Falcons-Eagles and Rays- Phillies had a day-night doubleheader in South Philly . The other was Ravens at Bears and Astros at White Sox in 2005.

Talking pointsWhat we're talking about after the Phillies' 7-4 loss in Game 4 to the Yankees:

-- Brad Lidge. It wasn't a blown save, since he came into a tie game in the top of the ninth. But after five scoreless appearances in the postseason, giving the Phillies hope he had put his 11 blown saves during the regular season behind him, the Yankees scored three times after he got two quick outs.

-- Third base open. After Johnny Damon singled with two outs in the top of the ninth, he stole second and then advanced to third because the Phillies neglected to cover the base. It didn't cost the Phillies the game, but it was an embarrassing lapse. Manager Charlie Manuel said it was the responsibility of Brad Lidge or catcher Carlos Ruiz to cover.

-- Rest stop. Yankees manager Joe Girardi brought back ace CC Sabathia on short rest last night. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel held back Cliff Lee until tonight to start him on his normal turn. Since the Phillies lost and now trail the best-of-seven series three games to one, Manuel is sure to be second-guessed, even though neither starter got a decision.

-- Up against the wall. The Phillies will face elimination tonight for the first time since Oct. 6, 2007, when they were down two games to none in the best-of-five National League Division Series against the Rockies at Coors Field. Colorado won that game, 2-1. Only two of 15 teams that fell behind three games to one in the World Series since division play started in 1969 have come back to capture the championship: 1979 Orioles and 1985 Royals.

-- Left out. The Phillies' Big Three lefthanded hitters - Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Raul Ibanez - are a combined 10-for-48 (.208) in the World Series. They have three homers, all by Utley, seven RBI . . . and 22 strikeouts Overall, the Phillies are just 17-for-81 (.210) against Yankees lefthanded pitching.

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