The New York Yankees are one win away from their 27th World Series title after a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

With scores level at 4-4 going into the ninth inning at the Citizens Bank Park, the Yankees scored three runs, before expert 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 solo homers from Chase Utley and Pedro Feliz before reliever Brad Lidge had the Yankees on the brink in the ninth with two outs.

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 Alex 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 Jorge Posada drove into centre field to bring Teixeira and Rodriguez over home plate.

The game had started in equally as entertaining fashion with the Yankees ahead 2-1 after the first innings.

Derek Jeter and Damon both had base hits at the top before Phillies pitcher Joe Blanton threw into the back of Rodriguez with his first pitch. That drew a warning from the officials but the tetchy opening soon gave way to some early runs as Teixeira batted in Jeter before a Posada sacrifice fly to left field brought Damon home.

The Yankees turned to CC Sabathia on just three days rest after his loss in the series opener. Sabathia gave up two homers to Utley in that game and the left-hander was immediately back into his stride with a double to bring Shane Victorino home.

The Phillies drew level in controversial circumstances at the bottom of the fourth when Ryan Howard didn't appear to touch home plate as he dived to beat a Damon throw from left field.

The Yankees' two-run cushion was, however, re-established in the next innings.

Jeter batted in Nick Swisher before Damon's good night continued with a double for Melky Cabrera to make it 4-2.

Cabrera's game was ended early, however, when at his next at bat when he pulled a hamstring after being run out at first.

Blanton was relieved at the end of the sixth as the Phillies seemed to lose their way in the middle innings and the home crowd almost silent.

A pair of solo homers in the seventh and eight, however, rectified that.

Sabathia's short rest started to tell in the seventh and his nemesis Utley again made him pay over the right-field fence. Feliz then tied the game in the eighth, with two out, when he got everything a Joba Chamberlain breaking ball that flew over left-field.

The Citizens Bank Park crowd were now more vocal than they had been all night, but as quickly as they had found their voice they were silenced by the Yankees' remarkable ninth-inning escape.

The series resumes in Philadelphia on Monday night when the Yankees will look to wrap things up.