ALCS Game 4: Yankees vs Angels Tuesday October 20th, 2009 8:00pm EST
Jeff Mathis drove his second double of the game into left-center field pushing the winning run across the plate as the Angles beat the Yankees 5-4 in the bottom of the 11th on Monday at Angels Stadium.
This was the second consecutive game that went into extra innings and this time the Angels got the big hits they needed to get the win, that prevented Anaheim from going into a 3-0 series hole.
While the Angels snapped their six-game ALCS losing streak, New York suffered its first defeat of this postseason after sweeping Minnesota in three games in a division series.
The Yankees are hitting .243/.321/.463 this post season, compared to the Angels .232/.314/.374. New York had the deepest, most patient, most dangerous offense in baseball and still hold the offensive advantage.
Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira has not looked comfortable at the plate after tying for the AL lead with 39 homers and driving in a league-best 122 runs during the regular season. Teixeira went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts Monday, dropping his postseason batting average to .120.
After going 1 for 7 and leaving eight runners on base in Saturday’s loss, Angels designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero went 2 for 4 on Monday, including a game-tying, two-run homer in the sixth.
For the second straight game, everyone was used in the Yanks’ bullpen aside from RHP Chad Gaudin, who will likely be forced into action if tonight’s starter, LHP CC Sabathia can’t go deep into the game.
LHP Scott Kazmir (0-0) is expected to make the start in Game 4 and help the Angels even the series at two games apiece. Kazmir’s first postseason start this fall left quite a bit to be desired, as he was roughed up for five runs over six innings in a no-decision against the Red Sox in the AL Division Series clincher. Kazmir is 2-1 in 2009 against New York.
The Yankees will call on C.C. Sabathia (1-0) who dominated the Angels in Game 1 in the Bronx, throwing 113 pitches and allowing one run and four hits over eight innings.
The odds makers have tabbed Sabathia and the Yankees as -135 favorites on the MLB betting line. The baseball wagering over/under has been set at 8 over -115.
Matt Martz is a sports writer for the Bakersfield Californian located in Central California. Blessed is the gambler who expects nothing, for ye shall not be disappointed.
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