Angels Knock Out Yankees 5-3, Reach ALCS

Angels Knock Out Yankees 5-3, Reach ALCS

ANAHEIM, Calif. - With an injured ace and a struggling slugger, the Los Angeles Angels turned to a few seasoned veterans and a poised rookie pitcher making his postseason debut. And the Angels eliminated the Yankees playing the way they did all year: with solid defense, aggressive at-bats and another strong night by the entire pitching staff.

Ervin Santana bailed out the Angels when Bartolo Colon left early with a stiff shoulder, Adam Kennedy hit a go-ahead triple that sent Yankees outfielders crashing to the ground, and Los Angeles advanced to the AL championship series with a 5-3 victory over New York on Monday night in the decisive Game 5 of their first-round series.

"It shows you something about this team. Different guys know how to step up," catcher Bengie Molina said between champagne showers from younger brother, Jose.

Garret Anderson homered and drove in two runs, and the Angels produced enough offense despite getting no RBIs in the series from reigning AL MVP Vladimir Guerrero.

Less than 24 hours after arriving in California, the Angels got ready to leave for the start of the ALCS against the White Sox in Chicago on Tuesday night.

Santana, who started the season at Double-A, replaced Colon in the second inning and got the win by allowing three runs and five hits in 5 1-3 innings. He "had flashes of brilliance" according to Angels manager Mike Scioscia and left to a standing ovation with one out in the seventh after allowing a leadoff homer to Derek Jeter.

"I don't have to be nervous," Santana said. "It's a baseball game."

George Steinbrenner's $203 million Yankees again learned that money doesn't buy success. Even with Randy Johnson coming out of the bullpen for 4 1-3 shutout innings, New York was eliminated by the Angels in the first round for the second time in four seasons, scoring 20 runs in the five games with four homers — all solo shots.

"It was a street fight," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "I'm more disappointed than last year. I felt deep down that we would get it done."

Just like last season, when the Yankees lost four straight against Boston after taking a 3-0 ALCS lead, Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield were virtually invisible when New York needed their bats most. Rodriguez, the $252 million man, hit into a double play after Jeter's leadoff single in the ninth.

"This is as low as it gets," A-Rod said. "It's one of those things you can't figure out. ... I've got to take a long look in the mirror at myself because I didn't do my part. I mean, you win and lose as a team, but I didn't show up."

The Yankees got two singles after Rodriguez's double play, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate. But Francisco Rodriguez retired Hideki Matsui on a sharp grounder to first for his second save of the series.

The Angels threw their arms up in celebration and formed a group hug near first base, fireworks going off behind them beyond the outfield and streamers coming from the upper bleachers as they advanced to the ALCS for the first time since winning the World Series in 2002.

After winning four World Series in their first five seasons under Torre, the Yankees are without a title since 2000.

"We don't play to just make it to the playoffs, we've been to the playoffs before," Jeter said. "We play to win, and we fell short again."

New York staved off elimination with a 3-2 victory Sunday night at Yankee Stadium, forcing a fifth game across the country in Anaheim. The teams traveled all night, both landing around 3:30 a.m.

Anderson's second-inning homer started the comeback against Game 1 winner Mike Mussina after New York had taken a 2-0 lead in the top half.

Kennedy, the No. 9 hitter who was MVP of the 2002 ALCS, lined a triple to right-center with two outs in the second. Sheffield, in right, and center fielder Bubba Crosby collided hard and hit the wall trying for the catch. Two runs scored as the Angels went ahead 3-2.

Anderson added a sacrifice fly in the third, and Erstad's infield grounder also drove in a run. One out later, the 42-year-old Johnson replaced Mussina — the first relief appearance for the Big Unit since beating the Yankees in Game 7 of the 2001 World Series for Arizona.

Colon, who returned to California on Saturday, got out of first-inning trouble when he struck out Matsui with two on. But he was replaced after 23 pitches by Santana, who allowed an RBI single to Crosby and Jeter's sacrifice fly in the second before settling down.

"He's our secret weapon," Angels shortstop Orlando Cabrera said.

A-Rod, just 2-for-17 in the final four games of last year's ALCS collapse against Boston, went 2-for-15 (.133) with no RBIs. Sheffield, 1-for-17 during last year's final four games, had no extra-base hits and two RBIs.

Bernie Williams, in perhaps his final game of a Yankees' career that began in 1991, went 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.

Notes:@ New York had a rally thwarted in the fifth inning when Robinson Cano was called for the third out for running out of the baseline after striking out on a pitch in the dirt. The call by plate umpire Joe West took away a bases-loaded situation. ... Williams appeared in his record 120th postseason game.