(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |  | R | H | E | |
LA Angels | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 2 | |
NY Yankees | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 13 | 3 |
WP - David Robertson (1-0)
LP - Ervin Santana (0-1)
(Sorry this is so late, but after that game I was in desperate need of some sleep.)
It was another classic playoff win for the Yanks in the Bronx last night; a cold, damp and poorly played classic, but a classic nonetheless. On the night the Yanks went 0-for-8 with RISP, left 12 men on base, committed three errors, and still amazingly found a way to win.
The one constant theme for the Yanks this October has been solid starting pitching and tonight was no different as A.J. Burnett has his second straight solid playoff start. He allowed two earned runs on three hits, walked two, and struck out four in 6.1 innings pitched. He threw 114 pitches, 75 for strikes. Burnett probably could have finished the seventh had it not been for one of Robinson Cano's error that extended the inning for the Angels.
Both runs allowed by Burnett came in the top of the 5th. Maicer Izturis led off with a ground-rule double, and scored the Angels' first run two batters later on Erick Aybar's RBI single. Then, Burnett got a little wild. He hit Chone Figgins, loaded the bases with a two-out walk to Torii Hunter, and then allowed the tying run to score on a wild pitch with Vladimir Guerrero at the plate. He would eventually get Vlad to ground out to short and regained his control.
Joe Saunders was just as good for the Angels as he threw 7 strong innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits, walked one, and struck out five. He needed just 105 pitched to get through seven, and 57 found the strike zone. His sinker was working and he was able to use it to induce a couple rally killing double plays.
He allowed individual runs in the second and the third. The first coming on Cano's RBI triple which scored Nick Swisher, who had previously walked. Then one inning later Derek Jeter made it 2-0 Yanks with a solo homer just over the wall in right.
As I already mentioned the Angels would tie the game in the 5th and that's how the score would stay until the 11th as both team's bullpens pitched very well and held the opposition off the board. The standout performance for me was Mariano Rivera's stellar 2.1 innings of work. He allowed just one hit and struck out two while throwing 17 of his 25 pitches for strikes. Just more proof that there is no better closer in the game than the great Mariano.
But then in the the 11th the Angels broke through for a run off Alfredo Aceves. Gary Matthews starting things off with the dreaded leadoff walk. He moved to second on a sac bunt by Aybar, and then after going 0-for-the playoffs, Figgins finally got a hit driving in Matthews and giving the Angels a 3-2 lead.
The Angels called on Brian Fuentes to come in a close it out. Alex Rodriguez was leading off the bottom of the 11th, and quickly fell behind 0-2. Fuentes then threw a fastball on the outside part of the plate, but didn't get it up high enough and A-Rod deposited it just over the wall in right field. As the ball landed in the front row and the stadium around went crazy, all I could do was stand and watch, in stunned amazement at what A-Rod had done. I was literally speechless. He did it again. For the third time this postseason he's homered in the 7th inning or later to tie a game.
He came up an inning later with the bases loaded and two out and a chance to win it, but flew out weakly to center. Still, what A-Rod has done this October has been remarkable. And it wouldn't matter anyway, because after another scoreless outing from David Robertson the Yanks would win it in the 13th.
Jerry Hairston Jr., after sitting on the bench for 12 innings, started things off with a pinch-hit line drive single. Brett Gardner then moved him to second with a sac bunt. Ervin Santana, who had come into the game in the 12th, then walked Cano to set up the double play. Melky Cabrera, who earlier this year was the king of the walk-off, swung at the first pitch he saw and hit a grounder to Maicer Izturis' left, but for the second straight game the Angels' infield defense would be their doom. Instead of taking the sure out at first, Izturis got greedy and tried to start the double play. He threw wide of Aybar covering second, the ball rolled to Figgins. He had trouble picking it up and and by the time he had was able to pick up the ball it was too late and Hairston scampered in with the winning run. Hairston also earned himself a pie from A.J. Burnett for his efforts.
After five errors, 26 men left on base, rain, wind, cold, and 5 hours and 10 minutes, the Yankees had a commanding 2-0 lead in the series. It wasn't pretty, but it was a classic.
Today is an off-day as both teams travel out west. Game three will be tomorrow afternoon at 4:13 p.m. eastern time, with Andy Pettitte going up against Jered Weaver.
| AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG | |
| Jeter, SS | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .300 |
| Damon, LF | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .364 |
| Teixeira, 1B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .100 |
| Rodriguez, A, 3B | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .250 |
| Matsui, H, DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .429 |
| 2-Guzman, F, PR-DH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| b-Hairston, J, PH-DH | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Swisher, RF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| 1-Gardner, PR-CF | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| Cano, 2B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .125 |
| Cabrera, Me, CF-RF | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | .375 |
| Molina, J, C | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| a-Posada, PH-C | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .167 |
| Totals | 48 | 4 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 20 | |
a-Grounded out for Molina, J in the 8th. b-Singled for Guzman, F in the 13th. 1-Ran for Swisher in the 7th. 2-Ran for Matsui, H in the 9th. | ||||||||
BATTING 3B: Cano (1, Saunders). HR: Jeter (1, 3rd inning off Saunders, 0 on, 1 out), Rodriguez, A (1, 11th inning off Fuentes, 0 on, 0 out). TB: Jeter 4; Damon 2; Rodriguez, A 4; Matsui, H; Hairston, J; Swisher; Gardner; Cano 3; Cabrera, Me 2; Molina, J; Posada. RBI: Cano (1), Jeter (2), Rodriguez, A (2). 2-out RBI: Cano. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cabrera, Me; Damon; Cano 2; Teixeira; Rodriguez, A 2. S: Gardner. GIDP: Jeter; Matsui, H; Cano. Team RISP: 0-for-8. Team LOB: 12. FIELDING E: Cano 2 (2, fielding, fielding), Jeter (1, fielding). DP: (Rodriguez, A-Cano-Teixeira). | ||||||||
| IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA | |
| Burnett, A | 6.1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2.84 |
| Coke | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Chamberlain | 0.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Hughes, P | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Rivera, Ma | 2.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Aceves, A | 1.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6.75 |
| Marte, D | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Robertson, D (W, 1-0) | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
Pitches-strikes: Burnett, A 114-75, Coke 11-5, Chamberlain 10-7, Hughes, P 9-8, Rivera, Ma 25-17, Aceves, A 24-13, Marte, D 4-3, Robertson, D 33-17.
ANGELS STATS
PLAYER OF THE GAME: A.J. Burnett (6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB 4 K)
HONORABLE MENTION: Alex Rodriguez (Another game-tying home run, this time in the bottom of the 11th) and Jerry Hairston Jr. (1-for-1, scored the GW run)
Game 2
Yankees @ Angels
Game Time: 4:13 p.m. TV/Radio: FOX, WCBS
LHP Andy Pettitte (1-0, 1.42) vs. LHP Jered Weaver (1-0, 1.23)