Angels will need more than momentum now
L.A. must hope Saunders outpitches Pettitte to get to decisive Game 7
 Stephen Dunn / Getty Images The Yankees' Andy Pettitte reacts after giving up a two-run home run to Vladimir Guerrero in Game 3. |
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 | Angels ride momentum into the Bronx Oct. 23: Angels' Game 6 starting pitcher Joe Saunders talks about Los Angeles gaining momentum and confidence while the Yanks' Andy Pettite wants to wrap things up. NBC Sports |
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ANAHEIM, Calif. - They still had a healthy glow from their wild 7-6 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series Thursday night when the Angels had to grapple with one sobering question.
If they can make it here, can they make it anywhere?
It’s one thing to win two of three games in Anaheim to send the teams soaring across the country to continue this series.
It’s another thing to win two straight games at Yankee Stadium, where the home team was nearly invincible this year and where the Angels looked like amateurs for parts of Games 1 and 2.
If you believe in momentum in a series, maybe that’s the Angels’ last, best hope. Most baseball people put more faith in starting pitching.
The Angels have Joe Saunders, who pitched seven strong innings in New York in Game 2. Saunders said he’s looking forward to another encounter in the Bronx zoo.
“It’s fun, obviously,” Saunders said. “The Yankee fans are going to be cussing me out and not saying very nice things to us. But it’s a tough place to pitch, No. 1, and they obviously have a tremendous lineup so it’s going to be a good challenge.”
The Yankees counter with their lefty, Andy Pettitte, who was a mediocre 6-4 with a 4.59 ERA at home and didn’t exactly dominate Game 3 in Anaheim. Pettitte said there’s “a lot of life,” in Yankee Stadium when he pitches.
“You just hope you can control yourself, make your pitches,” Pettitte said. “Make quality pitches throughout the game. Hopefully, we’ll be able to wrap this thing up Saturday.”
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If the Angels can make a little early headway, they’re hoping the pressure will begin to mount on the only team in baseball that spends more than $200 million on player salaries. The Angels talked a lot Thursday about their underdog status in this series.
Torii Hunter said the Yankees are “King Kong.”
And the Angels?
“We’re Smurfs,” Hunter said.
“I mean, the pressure’s not on us, definitely,” Hunter said. “Our backs are against the wall. They’re up.”
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In Game 1, they made three errors, tying a season low-water mark. The errors weren’t the defensive lowlight. Chone Figgins and Erick Aybar played the youg-got-it game and let a harmless Hideki Matsui pop-up fall for a costly hit.
The Angels looked a bit more awake in Game 2, but their miscues came at worse times. Brian Fuentes inexplicably threw an 0-and-2 chest-high fastball to Alex Rodriguez and you can imagine how that went: game-tying home run.
Maicer Izturis tried to start a double play when he didn’t need one and threw the ball (and the game) away in the 13th inning.
The Angels’ bodies seemed to be freezing up on them in the cold. Temperatures were barely above freezing and drizzle was being sprayed around by 25-mph icy gusts.
Checked the forecasts for Saturday night yet? They’re predicting steady-to-heavy rain, albeit with high-50s temperatures.
“Again!?” Hunter said.
If he’s lucky, the weather will be the only thing that’s a repeat.
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