Angels finish 1st home sweep of Yanks since 1995

[August 11, 2008]  ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Chone Figgins hit an RBI single with one out in the ninth inning against Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, and the Los Angeles Angels completed a three-game sweep of New York with a 4-3 victory on Sunday.

Howie Kendrick led off the ninth with a single against Damaso Marte (0-2). Gary Matthews Jr., who has only one sacrifice bunt since 2002, squared around twice before striking out. But Marte walked Mike Napoli and Figgins grounded Rivera's first pitch into right field to end it.

Rivera has allowed seven earned runs and 19 hits in 21 1-3 innings during his 19 non-save situations. When a save is in sight, he has given up just one earned run and 13 hits in 30 1-3 innings, converting all 28 opportunities.

Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez (2-2) entered the game in a 3-3 tie and struck out the side in the ninth to get the victory.

Andy Pettitte gave up three runs and 10 hits in seven-plus innings with three strikeouts and two walks. The Yankees got a scare in the sixth when Kendrick hit a line drive off Pettitte's left leg. He recovered in time to throw Kendrick out, then was allowed to make a couple of warmup pitches to test his push-off leg before continuing.

Alex Rodriguez lined a double off the fence in left-center with one out in the eighth against reliever Jose Arredondo and tried to steal third, but was thrown out by Napoli on a close play in the catcher's second game off the disabled list. Rodriguez and manager Joe Girardi had a heated argument with umpire Bill Welke, but both stayed in the game.

Trailing 2-0, the Angels scored three in the third thanks in part to a bizarre balk by Pettitte. Matthews beat out an infield single to third, Napoli doubled and Matthews scored on another infield hit, as Figgins' line drive back to the box caromed off Pettitte's glove toward shortstop Derek Jeter, who had no play.

Napoli stayed frozen at second on Figgins' hit, and first baseman Richie Sexson cheated about 15 feet up the line to guard against a possible bunt by Erick Aybar. But Pettitte, apparently thinking second base was unoccupied, made an unnecessary throw toward first to keep Figgins honest - and hit Sexson on the leg with it.

Pettitte was charged with his first balk of the season because, by rule, Sexson wasn't in the vicinity of the bag when the pickoff attempt was made. Both runners advanced, and Aybar hit an RBI single before Mark Teixeira put the Angels ahead with a sacrifice fly.

The balk was Pettitte's first since Sept. 21, 2006, with the Astros.

The first inning was a tedious chore for Angels lefty Joe Saunders, who didn't record an out until his 21st pitch. Johnny Damon started it off with a broken-bat infield single and Jeter worked out an 11-pitch walk. Napoli got crossed up on a 1-0 pitch to Bobby Abreu, resulting in a passed ball that advanced both runners, and Abreu lined the next delivery to center for an RBI single. Rodriguez followed with a run-scoring double.

The Yankees tied it 3-3 in the fourth when Rodriguez drew a leadoff walk and scored on a fielder's choice grounder by Robinson Cano.

The Angels came close to regaining the lead in the bottom half, but Matthews was thrown out at the plate trying to score on Napoli's single to left.

Saunders allowed three runs and six hits over seven innings, striking out six.

Notes: Pettitte has picked off 10 runners this season and 91 in his career. ... Justin Christian, making his ninth start of the season and third in CF, threw out Aybar as he tried to stretch a single into a double in the seventh. Aybar overslid the bag as 2B Cano applied the tag. ... This was the fifth three-game series at Angels Stadium that completely sold out. The others were against Seattle, Boston, Atlanta and the Dodgers. ... The Yankees are back at the "Big A" for a three-game series Sept. 8-10. They have lost 12 of their last 16 games in Anaheim.

[Associated Press; By RICK GANO]

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