A decision that earned Manuel criticism for two days now points the way to a possible Game 7. That doesn't mean it will be easy. The road remains uphill, but at least it is paved after last night's 8-6 victory.

You might say Cliff Lee's performance last night would have been good enough to win Game 4. But the more compelling argument is that Lee did what he did in Game 5 precisely because he was pitching on his normal turn.

It is always easy to second-guess a manager's decision if it doesn't work out. Plenty of people criticized Manuel even before Blanton pitched, but the collective blood pressure spiked after the Phillies lost Game 4. Thing is, the impact of the decision could only be gauged after Lee pitched.

"That doesn't bother me," Manuel said of the criticism. "I've seen it both ways. I've seen it work, and I've seen it not work. If we would have pitched Lee [Sunday] and he would have won, we'd still need to win [Game 5]. That's the way I look at it."

Besides, if Lee is the only Phillies starter who can beat the Yankees, how does it matter whether he won Game 4 or Game 5? They have no chance if someone else doesn't come up big. Once you got past the anxiety attack in the late innings, you could appreciate how amazing Lee's performances have been. These Yankees do not go quietly.

All the supporting evidence you need to appreciate Manuel's decision was on the mound for the Yankees.

Burnett was doing what Lee did not have to do, pitching on short rest. Four nights after embarrassing the Phillies in Game 2 at Yankee Stadium, Burnett was mauled for six runs in two-plus innings of batting practice in Game 5.

"I don't think there was any correlation," Girardi said, and a thousand Yankees fans rushed to their phones to dial up WFAN-AM (660).

Girardi made the calculation that he has three starters he trusts in this World Series - in order, CC Sabathia, Burnett, and Andy Pettitte. Sabathia pitched well but lost Game 1. He was not nearly as dominant in Game 4, even though the Yankees won. The Phillies had Sabathia in trouble a couple of times - most egregiously in the fifth, when the first two batters got on - but failed to take advantage.

So Girardi chose to start a sabotaged Sabathia and a burned Burnett in the fourth and fifth games of the World Series. The gamble paid off because of a fluky three-run ninth inning against Brad Lidge in Game 4 and backfired badly in Game 5.

And now? The Phillies will likely face the 37-year-old Pettitte on short rest tomorrow night and, if they win, Sabathia on three days' rest yet again in Game 7.

Last night, Fox showed a graphic illustrating the risk Girardi took. Since 1999, when one pitcher starts a playoff game on three days' rest against a starter on full rest, the short-resters are 12-36.

A fully rested Pedro Martinez, who was terrific in Game 2, will start Game 6 for the Phillies. It is unknown who would start a potential Game 7: Cole Hamels on a very short leash or J.A. Happ are the likely candidates. The choice here would be Happ, with Lee, Blanton, Chan Ho Park and Brett Myers all prepared to pitch an inning or two if needed.

Yes, Lee. He has been that good, that essential.

"They used to say Spahn and Sain and pray for rain," Manuel said. "We have an off day and maybe it will rain the next day. I'll talk to him about what he thinks, if he can pitch at all."

"As far as my availability," Lee said, "I'm available. I'll be ready to pitch whenever they want me to. If it will help the team win, I'm in."

With an 8-2 lead, Manuel could have improved Lee's chances of pitching Thursday night by taking him out before he got touched for three runs on three hits in the eighth inning.

Of course, there will be plenty of time to rest starting Friday.

Again: The task is far from easy, but anything can happen if you force a Game 7. And you can't force a Game 7 until you force a Game 6.

There was nothing wrong with any of Manuel's decisions in this Series that wouldn't have been cured by the kind of timely hitting the Phillies rode to last year's championship - or by one vintage performance from Hamels.

Thanks to those timely hits, fans were chanting Manuel's name rather than cursing it at this time last year. By sticking with his instincts, Manuel has given his team another chance to make him look smart.

Contact columnist Phil Sheridan at 215-854-2844 or psheridan@phillynews.com. Read his recent work at http://go.philly.com/philsheridan.