Yankees Bounce Back With Win On Road Against Angels

May 6, 2014; Anaheim, CA, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher

pitches against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

After a night in which Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi was the most animated that he has been in several years, his team attempted to bounce back and regain control of the AL East when they played their second of a 3-game series against the Angels in Anaheim Tuesday night. The Yankees sent the struggling Hiroki Kuroda to the bump opposed by the Angels’ C.J. Wilson.

The Angels picked up where they left on from Monday night, taking an early lead in the third inning. Erick Aybar hit a sacrifice fly to Jacoby Ellsbury in center field that brought home catcher Hank Conger to give the Halos a 1-0 lead. Setting up the inning was a throwing error by Yankees’ third baseman Yangervis Solarte. Later in the inning, all-world outfielder Mike Trout picked up an RBI when he hit a sac fly to Brett Gardner that scored Collin Cowgill. Neither of the runs that crossed the plate for the Angels were unearned.

The Yankees fought their way back against Wilson in the top half of the fifth inning. Second baseman Brian Roberts drove home Yangervis Solarte with an RBI single to center field. The tying run came home in Brett Gardner, as Ellsbury grounded into a double play. At the end of 5, the score was knotted at 2.

The Bombers took the lead in the bottom of the seventh, as Derek Jeter led off the inning by getting drilled with a pitch by Wilson. Carlos Beltran followed Jeter with a single to center field, moving Jeter to third. The Angels nearly dodged a bullet when Mark Teixeira grounded into a fielder’s choice, as Angels’ third baseman Ian Stewart retired Jeter at the plate trying to score on contact. The inning was salvaged as Alfonso Soriano singled to left, scoring Beltran, and giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead. Brian McCann grounded into an inning-ending double play, as his struggles at the plate continue.

The Angels sent Kuroda packing after a solid night on the mound. With two outs, Trout tripled to right-center field, and came home to score when reliever Shawn Kelley yielded an RBI single to Albert Pujols. Kuroda’s final line was 7 2/3 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 0 walks, and 8 Ks. Kelley kept the game tied when he struck out Howie Kendrick to keep Pujols stranded at first.

Ernesto Frieri relieved Wilson in the ninth. Wilson’s final line was 8 innings, 7 hits, 3 runs (3 earned), 5 Ks and 3 walks. After retiring both Solarte and Gardner relatively easily, Brian Roberts took Frieri deep over the right field wall to put the Yankees back on top 4-3. David Robertson came on in the Angels’ half of the ninth, to pick up the save.

The two teams complete their series tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. PST, as Vidal Nuno (0-0, 6.87) takes on the Angels’ Hector Santiago (0-5, 5.01) in what could shape up to be a slugfest.