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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- Roger Clemens called it one of the greatest
catches he's ever seen. Mike Scioscia simply said it was
incredible.
Darin Erstad had trouble describing his spectacular, game-saving
grab in the 10th inning.
|  | | Darin Erstad fully extends himself in robbing Jorge Posada and saving the game for the Angels in the 10th inning. |
"It was just one of those things," said Erstad, who followed
his highlight-reel grab with a game-winning homer in the 11th
inning of the Anaheim Angels' 9-8 victory over the New York Yankees on
Friday night. "You just react and let your ability take over."
Erstad took over a game that appeared lost to the Angels when
they entered the ninth trailing 8-3 to Clemens. But Mo Vaughn's
three-run homer capped an amazing rally that was only overshadowed
by Erstad's extra-inning brilliance.
The Yankees appeared to have won the game in the 10th before
Erstad took it right from them. With runners on second and third
and two outs, Jorge Posada was at the plate. With two strikes,
Erstad took a few steps in and toward the foul line to guard
against a bloop hit.
That only made the play even more difficult when Posada hit a
drive to the gap in left-center that should have ended the game.
"I thought it split the gap when he hit it," Scioscia said.
"All I can say is incredible."
Erstad got a good break, and made a full-extension dive,
catching the ball after it appeared to have gone past him for a
game-winning hit.
"Posada smoked that ball," Erstad said. "I've taken some
pretty interesting routes on the ball this season. But I took a
good route on that one."
A few Yankees had run up on the dugout steps, pumping their
fists, ready to celebrate.
"I thought the game was over," Clemens said. "That was one of
the top three catches I've seen in my years in the game."
But it was the Angels who came out of the dugout celebrating and
the Yankee Stadium crowd that was quickly silenced.
Erstad's teammates mobbed him in the dugout. But he was more
interested in preparing for his next at-bat.
"They wouldn't leave me alone, and I'm like, 'I've got to go
hit, leave me alone,"' Erstad said.
He was fine.
With one out, Erstad hit a high fly off Mike Stanton (2-2) that
just cleared the right-field wall for his 21st homer and major
league-leading 189th hit.
"I don't know what was better, his offense or defense," Vaughn
said.
It was the first time in 12 years the Yankees wasted a five-run,
ninth-inning lead, since Detroit overcame a 6-1 deficit to win 7-6
on June 21, 1988.
"It stings no question, a five-run lead in the ninth," Yankees
manager Joe Torre said.
Shigetoshi Hasegawa (8-2) pitched three innings of one-hit ball
for the victory, extending his scoreless streak to 22 innings.
Glenallen Hill homered twice for the Yankees, who were 138-4
when leading after eight innings the past two seasons.
Clemens retired eight consecutive batters entering the ninth,
before allowing back-to-back singles to Troy Glaus and Bengie
Molina. Jeff Nelson came in and walked No. 9 hitter Kevin Stocker
with one out, loading the bases.
The Angels drew to 8-5 on Erstad's run-scoring groundout and Orlando
Palmeiro's run-scoring double off Rivera. Vaughn then hit an 0-1
pitch into the upper deck in right field for his 30th homer, tying
the game.
"Until the game is over, you keep battling," Erstad said.
"How many times are you going to see that kind of comeback in your
career, against one of the best pitchers ever and one of the best
closers in the game. That's why we play until the last out."
Rivera's fifth blown save in 31 chances denied Clemens his
seventh consecutive victory. Clemens, who is 6-0 with a 2.54 ERA in his
last 11 starts, allowed five runs and nine hits in eight-plus
innings.
Hill hit a solo homer in the fourth and a two-run shot in the
fifth off Ramon Ortiz to give him nine homers in his first 43
at-bats with the Yankees since being acquired four weeks ago from
the Chicago Cubs. He has 12 career multihomer games.
Tim Salmon hit a solo homer in the fourth for Anaheim. It was
his 27th of the season and 223rd career homer, breaking Brian
Downing's franchise record.
The Angels, the only team to win the season series from the
Yankees the past two seasons, are 4-4 against New York with two
games remaining in 2000.
Game notes
Ortiz allowed eight runs and 11 hits in 5 2/3 innings. ...
Erstad went 2-for-5 to give him a major league-leading 61 mult-ihit
games. His 189 hits are the most for an Angels' left-handed hitter.
... Vaughn has at least 30 homers for six consecutive seasons. ... New
York's Bernie Williams, who went 0-for-5, is in a 3-for-32 slide.
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Baseball Scoreboard
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NY Yankees Clubhouse
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Boston 6
Texas 4
Cleveland 9
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Detroit 10
Oakland 1
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NY Yankees 8
Toronto 3
Minnesota 2
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Atlanta 0
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