Trailing 6-4, the Angels scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh behind RBI singles from Vladimir Guerrero and Kendry Morales to regain the lead after the powerful Yankees lineup had plundered six runs in the top half the inning.Regular starter Jered Weaver came on in relief to pitch a scoreless eighth while Los Angeles closer Brian Fuentes survived a bases-loaded threat in the ninth with two outs before Nick Swisher popped up for the last out. “It was very intense, my adrenaline was running like a Lamborghini,” Angels outfielder Torii Hunter told reporters of the last out. “We just keep scratching, that’s what we do.”
New York leads the best-of-seven series 3-2 and will be hoping to advance to a World Series match-up against the Philadelphia Phillies with a Game Six victory at home today. The defending champion Phillies clinched the National League Championship Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers by a 4-1 margin on Wednesday.
New York looked poised to finish off the ALCS and make their first World Series appearance since 2003 after erasing a 4-0 deficit in the top of the seventh. Mark Teixeira led the charge with a bases-clearing double for the Yankees to make it 4-3, Hideki Matsui tied the game with a single and Robinson Cano drilled a two-RBI triple to put New York two runs ahead.
Early lead
However, the resilient Angels banished the memories of a humiliating 10-1 defeat in Game Four on Tuesday by fighting back in front of a raucous home crowd to send the teams back to the Big Apple. “We’re in a situation where we know what we’re up against, where we know we have to play good baseball,” Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. “It’s not a forgiving team over there.”
Los Angeles jumped ahead with four runs in the first inning as Hunter belted a two-RBI single before Guerrero and Morales followed with RBI hits against New York starter A.J. Burnett, who allowed six runs in six innings. Hunter, Guerrero and Morales powered the way with two hits and two RBIs each, and catcher Jeff Mathis was 3-for-4 and ran off a club playoff-record streak of six hits in as many at-bats.
