Game 3 of the ALCS started ominously (and quite familiarly) for the Angels. Shortstop Derek Jeter led off the game with a homerun off Halo pitcher Jered Weaver. It was Jeter’s 20th postseason dinger which puts him third behind Manny Ramirez of the Dodgers and postseason superman of lore, Bernie Williams.
Down 3-0, in the 5th inning, things weren’t looking much better for the Angels. Things started to click with the help of some questionable decisions by Yankee skipper Joe Girardi. With a decent lead going into the homestretch of of the game, some of his calls just didn’t go his way.
Putting Jerry Hairston in left field is somewhat questionable. But the fact that it required removing the designated hitter is beyond me.
Girardi (left) also replaced David Robertson in the 11th after he got the first two outs only to bring in Alfredo Aceves. Girardi justified his move saying that Robertson threw 33 pitches on Saturday. True but many of those pitches on Saturday were on intentional walks.
Too much micro-managing. Girardi just needs to relax and let his boys play ball.
When all was said and done, the Angels came up with the big ‘W’, thanks to a game-winning double by Jeff Mathis off Aceves.
Howie Kendrick was 3 for 5 with a homer and 3 runs scored. Vladimir Guerrero went 2 for 4 with a homer and two rbis. Reliever Ervin Santana got the win.
So the Los Angeles Angeles, on the brink of a 0-3 deficit, buck up and take advantage of some weaknesses as the Yankees did the first two games. Now it’s 2-1 and a whole new ALCS.