Angels rock Yankees with trio of 3-run homers

[August 01, 2008]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero and Juan Rivera each hit a three-run homer, and the Los Angeles Angels added to their East Coast romp with a 12-6 win over the New York Yankees on Thursday night.

Coming off a three-game sweep at Boston in which they scored 22 runs, the Angels hit a trio of three-run homers in a game for the first time in 30 years. Los Angeles improved baseball's best record to 68-40 with its 11th victory in 13 games since the All-Star break.

Jon Garland coasted to his 10th win and Garret Anderson had four hits for the second consecutive night. Every Los Angeles starter had at least one hit and scored a run.

The Angels, who came in averaging 6.2 runs per game in July -- after just 3.8 in June -- tallied 19 runs in taking two of three at Baltimore last weekend.

Ivan Rodriguez received a boisterous ovation in his first at-bat for New York. The 14-time All-Star catcher arrived in New York just hours after being acquired from Detroit on Wednesday. He went 1-for-3 and was thrown out at home trying to score on Johnny Damon's hard liner to the mound in the seventh that was dropped by Darren Oliver.

Oliver threw to second for a force and second baseman Howie Kendrick threw home. Replays showed Rodriguez beat the throw.

Mark Teixeira got his first two hits, an RBI and a stolen base for the Angels. He went 0-for-4 in his debut Wednesday against Boston.

The Yankees began a crucial stretch in which they play their West Coast nemesis seven times in 11 days. This was their 22nd loss in 34 games against Los Angeles.

Hunter and Rivera each tagged Andy Pettitte in the third to give the Angels a 6-0 lead. The six-run inning matched their season best, last accomplished on July 28 in the sixth inning at Boston.

Guerrero connected in the sixth, one batter after Chris Britton, called up from Triple-A on Thursday, relieved Pettitte (12-8). All three homers came with two outs. The last time the Angels hit a trio of three-run shots in a game was June 8, 1978, at Oakland.

Chone Figgins, who had four hits, had an RBI single in the sixth. Eric Aybar then walked and Pettitte was done. He allowed nine runs and 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings.

Bobby Abreu hit a belt-high pitch into the right-center seats with one out in the fourth for the Yankees' first hit off Garland (10-6).

Xavier Nady hit his second homer for New York and 15th of the year leading off the seventh. A batter later and Garland was done, having given up three runs in six-plus innings.

Notes: The Yankees signed free agent Victor Zambrano, who has been working out at their minor league complex in Tampa, Fla. The right-hander was last in the major leagues in 2007, when he pitched in 13 games for Toronto and Baltimore. He is 45-44 with a 4.64 ERA. ... Angels pitcher Kelvim Escobar had right shoulder surgery Tuesday in New York. Mets team doctor David Altchek repaired Escobar's posterior labrum. ... Ron Jackson, Don Baylor and Brian Downing each hit a three-run homer for the Angels in that 1978 game.

[Associated Press; By HOWIE RUMBERG]

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