Bronx, NY – It was a long, sloppy and frustrating game to watch. But to the New York Yankees, now being up 2-0 in their best-of-seven series against the Los Angeles, it was a beautiful victory.
Yankees’ third baseman Alex Rodriguez continued his newfound postseason heroics with a game-tying solo home run in the 11th, and the Yankees pulled out the 4-3 win in the 13th inning on a throwing error by on Maicer Izturis.
“We were fortunate to come out on top in this game,” New York manager Joe Girardi said. “There were more than a few miscues in this game and we were fortunate to have come out on the right side of it.”
Rodriguez, who has blistered by media and fans alike during his six seasons in New York for his lack – and the team’s — postseason success, is enjoying the change.
“That was a fun game” Rodriguez said after the game. “I didn’t do much for the rest of the night, but our bullpen has got a lot of guts.”
The Angels will have to respond with some guts of their own as the series now moves to Los Angeles. For a team that was lauded before the series as a tough, smart, clutch and mistake-free team, they looked soft, intimidated by the weather and defenseless at the plate and in the field.
Choine Figgins and Bobby Abreu are a combined 1 for 16 in the first two games, though Figgins did slash an RBI single in the 11th to give the Angels a 3-2 lead.
Overall, Los Angeles went 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position, and stranded 16 in the defeat.
If the Yankees are the team of destiny this year, a season punctuated by several late inning heroics that is now manifesting itself again in the postseason, the Angels had better wake up from their slumber soon.
Like right now.
Read more at BaseballDigest.com.