Al Leiter couldn't quite match El Duque's heroics in Anaheim, although he did actually gave a pretty good account of himself. Especially when you consider the work turned in by pretty well every other pitcher the Yankees sent to the mound last night. Leiter came on in the seventh with no one out, the bases loaded, and a run in. Leiter was able to keep things from getting out of hand - the Angels were only able to score once, on a Steve Finley squeeze - but that was the only pitching performance the Yankees could feel good about last night.

Randy Johnson, signed at great expense for this very situation, was rocked for a three run homer in the first inning by Garret Anderson. The Angels scored two more when Bengie Molina homered in the third, and drove Johnson from the mound in the fourth. Down 5-0, the Yankees promptly surged back to take the lead. They strung together five hits and a walk to score four times in the fourth, and scored twice more to chase starter Paul Byrd in the fifth.

But Aaron Small, unbeaten during the regular season, who had worked two hitless innings in relief of Johnson, immediately gave up the lead. The Angels broke through for four hits and two runs to go ahead 7-6. Tanyon Sturtze relieved Small to finish the sixth, and Torre called on Tom Gordon for the seventh.

Some Yankees fans have grumbled that Gordon has a history of spitting the bit in the post-season - his career ERA in 7.79 - and this was not his night. He failed to retire a batter, and turned over the bases loaded jam to Leiter. As noted, Leiter did well to escape with just one more run scored. However, in the eighth, Figgins left off with a triple. Leiter got the first out and issued Guerrero an intentional walk. Torre then cxalled for Scott Proctor, who quickly gave up consecutive RBI hits to put the Yankees down 11-6.

On a night at Yankee Stadium, with Randy Johnson on the mound, who would have expected Garrett Anderson and Darrin Erstad to go for 7-10 between them and drive in 6 runs?

The Angels have controlled the Yankees big RH bats: Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield are 4-21 between them with just one RBI.

The Yankees season is in the hands of Shaun Chacon. And it's the Angels who will be starting a LH at Yankee Stadium this afternoon. If the Yankees don't win, we'll have seen both the Red Sox and Yankees get knocked out of action, while the San Diego Padres play on.

I know, it's an accident of scheduling. But still...

The games today:

Los Angeles (Washburn 8-8, 3.20) at New York (Chacon 8-10, 3.44) 4:00 PM - POSTPONED, RAIN
Atlanta (Sosa 11-3, 2.55) at Houston (Oswalt 20-12, 2.94) 7:30 PM
St.Louis (Morris 14-10, 4.11) at San Diego (Williams 9-12, 4.85) 11:00