A-Rod commanding World Series stage

After slow start, Yankees slugger now an RBI machine

Anthony DiComo / MLB.com

NEW YORK -- Some 20 minutes after the end of Game 4 of this World Series, a thrilling and, at the time, seemingly backbreaking victory over the Phillies, Johnny Damon stood near his locker and ran down the list of things that went right. There was the pitching of Andy Pettitte, the perfection of Mariano Rivera and Damon's own baserunning prowess. There were a lot of things, really.

"And Alex," Damon said, grinning. "Alex Rodriguez came up big for us."

And that continues to be the key.

After four weeks strutting across the greatest stage he has ever seen, Rodriguez is making a major impact on this postseason. He is still winning games for the Yankees, as he was in the American League Division Series and Championship Series. He is still altering the way pitchers and managers attack the Yankees. He continues to be a force, towing his reputation in a way that others cannot.

"When I get good pitches to hit and I put a good swing on it," Rodriguez said, "good things usually happen."

In Games 3, 4 and 5, the Citizens Bank Park crowd in Philadelphia let out a collective yelp every time Phillies pitchers retired the Yankees' third hitter, Mark Teixeira -- 11 times in all in the Series for the slumping first baseman. And every time, without fail, the crowd instantly and momentarily fell silent at the presence of Rodriguez, before jumping into a chorus of boos and chants.

Equal parts fear, respect and repugnance filtered through those jeers. Such is life for one of the greatest players of a generation.

On three of the four occasions in which Teixeira reached base via a hit, a walk or a hit batsman in Philadelphia, he scored. On all three occasions, Rodriguez delivered a hit behind him, twice personally driving Teixeira home. So defined by his postseason limitations in the past, Rodriguez has spent this autumn making a mockery of them.

"Alex has had an uncanny ability to every time I draw a walk or I do get one hit a game, he drives me in," Teixeira said.