Angels soar — Young pitchers step up, stifle vaunted N.Y. lineup

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Angels were down and their ace was out. In came a 22-year-old rookie with a defiant look in his eye and the season on the line.

Ervin Santana pitched 5 1-3 gutsy innings in his postseason debut, Adam Kennedy hit a go-ahead triple that sent Yankees outfielders crashing to the ground, and Los Angeles beat New York 5-3 Monday night in the decisive Game 5 of their AL playoff series.

Less than 24 hours after arriving in California, the Angels got ready to leave for the start of the ALCS against the White Sox in Chicago on Tuesday night.

George Steinbrenner's $203 million Yankees once again learned that money doesn't buy success. Even with Randy Johnson coming out of the bullpen for 4 1-3 shutout innings, New York was eliminated by the Angels in the first round for the second time in four seasons.

Just like last year, when the Yankees lost four straight against Boston after taking a 3-0 ALCS lead, Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield were virtually invisible when New York needed their bats most. Rodriguez, New York's $252 million man, hit into a double play after the Yankees got their leadoff runner on in the ninth.

With two on and two outs in the ninth as the Yankees mounted one more threat, Francisco Rodriguez retired Hideki Matsui on a sharp grounder to first.

New York staved off elimination with a 3-2 victory Sunday night at Yankee Stadium, forcing one more game across the country in Anaheim. The teams traveled all night, both landing around 3:30 a.m.

Santana, who started the season at Double-A, entered after Bartolo Colon departed in the second inning with an inflamed right shoulder. Santana got the win by allowing three runs and five hits, leaving to a standing ovation with one out in the seventh after allowing a leadoff homer to Derek Jeter.

Garret Anderson homered and hit a sacrifice fly, and Francisco Rodriguez got four outs for his second postseason save and second this series.

He allowed Jeter's third hit of the game starting the ninth and, after K-Rod got the double play on A-Rod, Jason Giambi singled to right and Sheffield reached on an infield hit.

Matsui grounded out to first baseman Darin Erstad, who made a diving stop and slipped the ball underhand to Francisco Rodriguez, who just beat Matsui to first for the final out.

The Angels threw their arms into the air in celebration and formed a group hug near first base, fireworks going off behind them beyond the outfield and streamers coming from the upper bleachers.