For their part, the Angels scored runs every way they could. They took two long balls, but they also spackled together a rally out of a chop swing, a bunt that bounced off the plate, another bunt, and a clutch base hit. When A-Rod blew an easy bouncer at third, they turned that into a run. When Torre left Leiter on the hill, Molina said, “Thank you, very much,” and hit an insurance home run.

The Angels were down 2-0 before they came back. But they did what the Yankees have done for so many years. They hung in against Wang, tied the score, forced the game into a weak bullpen, then manufactured the runs they needed, their own robust bullpen holding the Yankees to a solo home run by Jorge Posada down the stretch.

The Angels are the only team with a winning record against New York during Torre’s 10 years as manager. They know they can beat the Yankees, and they know how to get that job done.

After roughing up Randy Johnson in Game 3, the Angels should have sealed the deal.

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But after that, what is there to fear if you’re Los Angeles? Shawn Chacon was terrific during the regular season, but this is the playoffs. No one knows how he’ll perform. And after him is Mike Mussina, who pitched a terrific game in the opener, but spent the end of the season resting a sore arm. He had two starts down the stretch. The first one was good. The second one was a disaster. He had another good game in Game 1, but that was after six days rest. If this goes to Game 5, it will be one day less.

The Yankees know that. They know their pitching is vulnerable. It’s pressure no team needs. It makes a team play dumb, and it replaces play that’s tough with play that’s simply trying too hard.

The Angels came back in Game 2 the way the Yankees used to. They played with confidence, knowing they have the edge in relief. They played with passion. And they played with intelligence.

Pretty much the way the Yankees used to.

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