The Philadelphia Phillies established a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series with a 5-4 triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park.

Jimmy Rollins lined a two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Phillies battled from 4-3 down to clinch victory.

Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard had a two-run homer, driving in a run in his eighth straight post-season game to equal the major league record held by Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig.

The Phillies were 2-0 ahead after the first inning thanks to Howard's blast but fourth-inning RBI singles by James Loney and Russell Martin restored parity before Matt Kemp's two-out homer in the fifth saw the Dodgers move ahead.

Casey Blake's RBI in the sixth stretched Los Angeles' advantage but the Phillies cut the deficit through Chase Utley's single and then Rollins' late heroics sealed the game.

The Phillies can secure a second straight trip to the World Series with another win in game five when the series resumes on Wednesday.