Derek Jeter is congratulated by Dave Justice after his first-inning homer put the Yanks ahead for good.(AP)

So after losing Game 3 of this Subway Series to the Mets Tuesday night and having an unprecedented 14-game World Series winning streak come to an end, Torre sensed his team needed a jump start in Game 4. Derek Jeter provided that jump in the Yankee's 3-2 victory Wednesday night.

He has pushed all the right buttons in his time with the Yankees, Torre has. So when he inserted Jeter into the leadoff spot for Game 4, it was a safe bet Jeter was going to do something positive.

On this night, Jeter wouldn't be just a leadoff hitter. He would be the leading man, just as he's been from almost the day he became the regular Yankee shortstop.

It was a nail-biting victory for the Yankees that put the Mets down 3-1, and on the brink of elimination.

The baseball world is rooting for a nail-biting series, but the Yankees don't like intrigue and suspense. They just like to win.

Subtlety isn't Jeter's strong suit. Never has been. So as the first pitch of Game 4 came his way from Bobby Jones, he jumped on it and deposited it into the left field bleachers. 1-0 Yankees. Consider the tone set.

"We've won some games with Jeter in the No. 1 hole," said Torre of Jeter, who usually hits second. "But if I recollect correctly, in the five years I've been here and he's been here, he's batted everywhere from first to ninth. It doesn't matter to him. If you ask him, it doesn't matter where he hits. So hopefully at the top of the order, he can get some things going."

And there went the ball, up in to the Shea night, and there the Mets were, playing catch-up just minutes after the national anthem ended.

So much for that Mets momentum built in the 4-2 Game 3 victory.

"I don't consider myself a home run hitter," said Jeter. "I haven't hit many this year. Every now and then, I get lucky."

That is just Jeter's modesty getting the best of him. Luck has nothing to do with why he will be the Yankees' first captain since Don Mattingly in the near future.

"He makes things happen," said Torre. "he's a kid who's only been around five years, and he's got all the qualities of someone who takes charge and leads by example, as opposed to telling anybody that he is the leader of this club."

Though it seems Jeter has done just about everything in his young career, one thing he had never done is homered in a World Series game. Now he can cross that off an ever shrinking list.

By Thursday night, Jeter, at age 26, could be celebrating his fourth world championship in five years.

Jeter is the first to admit he was fortunate to walk into such a great situation. But perhaps not as fortunate as the Yankees were to have him.

He has embodied the fire, class and grace shown by this Yankee team of the last five years, and whenever they have to win a game, he always seems to do something to make it happen.

Paul O'Neill, the gritty warrior, has had a similar impact in his time with the Yankees, and he got things rolling in the second with a one-out triple. O'Neill scored on a Scott Brosius sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

Was it really just a week ago everyone was talking about how broken down O'Neill was and questioning Torre's decision to keep playing him? O'Neill has had a marvelous series.

So has Jeter, who at 8-for-16, is hitting a cool .500 in the series.

Jeter would make noise again leading off the third, when he lashed a triple into the right-centerfield gap. He'd come home on Luis Sojo's fielder's choice, and just like that, the Yankees were leading 3-0.

However, this game would be as tense as the rest of the games in this series.

Mike Piazza showed why he is such a great player in the bottom of the third inning, lacing a 2-run homer off Denny Neagle to make it 3-2.

Amazingly, that is how it would stay the rest of the night as the managers played chess with their bullpens and pinch hitters. Torre obviously showed he was going for the jugular when he brought in closer extraordinaire Mariano Rivera to start the eighth inning.

But, in essence, the game was won on the first pitch. Jeter's impact, as usual, was long lasting.

And now, the Yankees are 27 outs away from yet another victorious trek through the Canyon of Heroes. Jeter can probably navigate the parade route with his eyes closed.