Lackey left to a standing ovation with a tip of his cap — and the Yankees probably were cheering, too.

Reliever Darren Oliver yielded a three-run double to Mark Teixeira — 3 for 21 in the ALCS at that point — on his first pitch, and Hideki Matsui added a tying single.

Incredibly, it wasn’t over — and Burnett shared the blame with his bullpen. Altogether, the seventh inning featured nine runs and 63 pitches over nearly 45 minutes.

Jeff Mathis and Erick Aybar reached base to chase Burnett, the big-money free agent who’s still winless in three postseason starts. After Mathis scored on Bobby Abreu’s RBI groundout, Guerrero’s dribbling single against reliever Phil Hughes eluded a diving Derek Jeter to tie it — and Morales put the Angels ahead with the latest clutch hit of his breakout season.

“That’s not a forgiving team over there,” Scioscia said. “They hit pretty quick in that inning with six runs, and we bounced back and answered with three. In the dugout between innings, guys were still pumped up. Just some real good hitting.”

Jered Weaver, who started Game 3 for the Angels, pitched a hitless eighth before Fuentes barely escaped the ninth. After two quick outs, he intentionally walked Alex Rodriguez with nobody on base before walking Matsui and hitting Cano with a pitch to load the bases for the slumping Swisher, who battled Fuentes for seven pitches before popping out.

“My hair is falling out,” said the shaved-headed Hunter, who had a two-run single in the first. “We’re having a little fun, man. Everybody thought we were down.”

NOTES: In the latest instance of questionable umpiring in a postseason chock-full of it, Damon appeared to beat Lackey to first base on a bang-bang play to end the third inning, but Dale Scott ruled him out. ... Wearing a Yankees cap, “Escape From New York” star Kurt Russell was at Angel Stadium more than two hours early to watch batting practice. ... Mathis set the club’s playoff record with hits in six straight at-bats. He had a single in the second inning, a double in the fifth and another single in the seventh.

More news

NBC Sports

Trout makes history with cycle

  HBT Daily: The Angels' Mike Trout became the youngest AL slugger to hit for the cycle, and Craig Calcaterra is reminded of Fred Lynn.

Getty Images

HBT: Soriano calls out Harper  |  Then takes it back

HBT: Nationals closer Rafael Soriano was unhappy with Bryce Harper's positioning on a critical triple in a loss to the Giants.

Headlines

• Label

Dodgers' bats respond to Mattingly's criticism

CSN: Desmond lifts Nationals over Giants in 10th

HBT: Weaver looks ready to rejoin Angels rotation

HBT: Twins demote Opening Day starter Worley

HBT: Lohse will miss start with elbow problem

HBT: Hanley at least two weeks from returning

HBT: Angels' Trout hits for cycle against Mariners

CSN: ChiSox's Sale (shoulder) scratched from start