Rodriguez, Yanks edge Angels on error in 13th


NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez is putting all those playoff failures behind him. The Los Angeles Angels are turning the AL championship series into a defensive debacle.

Coming through under pressure once again, Rodriguez hit a tying homer in the 11th inning and the New York Yankees edged Los Angeles 4-3 Saturday night on Maicer Izturis’ error in the 13th for a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“Wow, what a game,” Rodriguez said.

After the rain came and went on another chilly night, New York pulled out its latest late-inning thriller and remained unbeaten in this year’s playoffs. The game ended at 1:07 a.m. when Izturis threw away Melky Cabrera’s grounder to second base.

“Izzy just tried to do too much,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “You’re not going to turn two.”

Pinch-hitter Jerry Hairston Jr. opened the 13th with a single off losing pitcher Ervin Santana in his first postseason at-bat. Brett Gardner sacrificed and Robinson Cano was intentionally walked as the crowd chanted “Melky! Melky!”

Cabrera hit a bouncer in the hole between first and second, and Izturis made an ill-advised attempt to throw back across his body for a force at second. The low toss skipped past shortstop Erick Aybar and rolled behind third, where Chone Figgins tried to pick it up.

Figgins fumbled the ball and Hairston, who had slowed up, sped home and slid in with the winning run.

“It hit my glove and kind of kicked off,” Figgins said.” It’s one of those crazy things that I was backing up but the ball slipped out of my hands.”

It marked another sloppy performance by the Angels, and finished a game that lasted 5 hours, 10 minutes.

“I was a little aggressive there,” Izturis said. “I’m not scared to be aggressive. Unfortunately, it cost us the game.”

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Los AngelesNew York

abrhbiabrhbi

Figgins 3b3011Jeter ss5111

BAreu rf5000Damon lf6020

TrHntr cf6020Teixeir 1b5000

Guerrr dh7010ARdrgz 3b6111

KMorls 1b5000HMatsu dh4010

JRiver lf4010FGzmn pr-dh1000

Willits pr0000HrstnJr ph1110

JMaths c2010Swisher rf2110

MIzturs 2b5110Gardnr pr-cf2010

Napoli c3000Cano 2b5011

MthwsJ ph-lf2100MeCarr cf-rf6020

EAyar ss5111JMolin c2010

Posada ph-c3010

Totals47382Totals484133

Los Angeles0000200000100—3

New York0110000000101—4

One out when winning run scored.

E—Figgins (1), M.Izturis (1), Jeter (1), Cano 2 (2). DP—Los Angeles 3, New York 1. LOB—Los Angeles 16, New York 12. 2B—Tor.Hunter (1), J.Mathis (1), M.Izturis (1). 3B—Cano (1). HR—Jeter (1), A.Rodriguez (1). SB—E.Aybar (1). S—Figgins, E.Aybar, Gardner.

IPHRERBBSO

Los Angeles

J.Saunders762215

Jepsen220001

Oliver110010

Fuentes BS,1-1111101

E.Santana L,0-11 1-331021

New York

A.Burnett6 1-332224

Coke1-300011

Chamberlain1-310001

P.Hughes2-310001

Ma.Rivera2 1-310002

Aceves1 1-311120

D.Marte1-300000

D.Robertson W,1-01 1-310021

HBP—by A.Burnett (K.Morales, Figgins). WP—A.Burnett. Umpires—Home, Laz Diaz; First, Bill Miller; Second, Jerry Layne; Third, Fieldin Culbreth; Right, Tim McClelland; Left, Dale Scott. T—5:10. A—49,922.

The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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