The Yankees had the champagne on ice when they battled back from an early four run deficit. In the seventh John Lackey began to tire and he got to the point where he had the bases loaded with two outs. In a move that Lackey was visibly upset about, Scioscia gave him the hook and brought in Darren Oliver. Mark Teixeira delivered on the first pitch with a three run double up the gap to pull the Yankees to within a run at 4-3. A-Rod was walked, but Matsui delivered a base hit up the middle to tie the game and Robinson Cano delivered a two run triple to give the Yankees the lead at 6-4.
Girardi elected to keep A.J. Burnett in and the first two runners got on base. Figgins sacrificed them over and Girardi then brought in Damaso Marte. Marte got Abreu to ground to first but a run scored to make it 6-5. Phil Hughes then relieved and walked Torii Hunter and had Vlad Guerrero 1-2 on great curve balls but elected to throw a high fastball and Gurerrero lined it up the middle to tie the score at 6. Kendry Morales also got an RBI single to give the Angels the lead at 7-6. The Yankees got out of the inning without any further damage but couldn't score in the eighth off of Jered Weaver.
In the bottom of the eighth Joba Chamberlain entered and gave up a double to Juan Rivera on a hanging slider. He then struck out Jeff Mathis but Erick Aybar reached on an infield bloop single up the middle to put runners on first and third. The Yankees then stalled to get Rivera ready and the Sandman delivered as usual. He got Figgins to fly to right without a run scoring and retired Abreu on a fly ball to center to end the inning.
In the ninth Brian Fuentes got two quick out and A-Rod was then walked intentionally. Matsui followed with a walk and Cano was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Nick Swisher battled and worked to 3-2 but then popped up to short to end the game.
Rivera lowered his career postseason ERA to 0.71. The series resumes on Saturday night in the Bronx with Andy Pettitte facing Joe Saunders.
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