Game 88. Angels escape with 10-8 win.

There was no sweep at the Stadium today as the Yanks, down five entering the bottom of the 9th, left the bases loaded to end the game in losing 10-8 to the Angels. Each team hit four homers.

Ivan Nova started and took the loss, giving up 3 HR. He drops to 10-4, 4.18. 6 IP, 6 R, 9 H, 2 walks and 3 K. He gave up back-to-back HR to Aybar and Pujols in the first.

The Yanks, just like yesterday, came back and tied it up on a HR. This time, it was A-Rod. #14 season, #643 career.

The Yanks had a couple of baserunning blunders in the game, and one came when they took the lead in the second. Chavez singled, went to second on a bunt by Martin, and scored on a single by Jeter. But Jeter was cut down after hit 3203 when he rounded the bag too far and Pujols cut off the throw to the plate. The run scored, but the 8-3-4 ended the inning.

With first and third, one out in the third, a big mistake. Cano was picked off 1-3-6, and while that happened, A-Rod tried to score from third and HE was gunned down (-2). Inning over. Big baserunning blunders.

In the fifth, Martin bunt popped into a DP. Ouch again.

A couple of singles and a SF in the sixth tied the game at 3, then Nova gave up a two-run homer later that inning to Izturis. 5-3 Angels.

Granderson, who made two superb catches in the game, cut it to 5-4 with #25 in the bottom of the sixth.

In the seventh, it can be argued that Nova shouldn’t have started the inning, but Chad Qualls was no good when he came in, so…  Trout doubled, went to third on Aybar’s single. In came Qualls. DP, run scores. Ok, 6-4. Single, forceout.

The Yanks got it back in the bottom of the seventh on HR #8 by Chavez. 6-5.

But Qualls couldn’t keep it there, and it helped to cost the Yanks the game. He could only get one out in the eighth before the Yanks had to turn to Logan. At the end of the inning, it was 10-5. Remember how yesterday Eppley was great as the bridge to D-Rob and Soriano (two scoreless)? Today Qualls couldn’t keep it where it was. As a result, the Yanks’ comeback went for naught because they got too far down.

Qualls: 1 1/3, 3 R, 4 H, 1 walk and 0 K. 4.91 (overall ERA Phils/Yanks).

Logan 2/3, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk and 0 K. 3.69.

Rookie D.J. Mitchell gave up a home run in the ninth to that Yankee-Killer, Trumbo. 10-5. Mitchell 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 walks, 0 K. 3.86.

The Yanks then made the Angels sweat it out. Teixiera hit a 2-run HR (18) to make it 10-7. They loaded the bases with two out for Granderson, who walked to make it 10-8, but A-Rod popped up to end the game. Had he hit a GW slam, that slam also would have broken the tie A-Rod has with Gehrig for the most grand slams ever (23).

It doesn’t appear as if it will hurt too much, though. Baltimore lost. The Rays also lost. The lead stays at 8.

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