ANAHEIM — Never and always. That’s when these kinds of moments happen.
Players can go their entire career without a walkoff hit. Not that they haven’t practiced a million times. The Wiffle-Ball in the backyard. The toss. The crowd goes wild. Sound familiar?
The Angels’ Jeff Mathis lived the dream Monday, swatting an 11th-inning double that sent his teammates into delirium after a 5-4 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series.
But it wasn’t a total shock. The Angels, who trail 2-1 in the series, have overcome 16 three-run deficits this year, most in the majors.
Facing Aflredo Aceves, Mathis belted the double into the right-center gap, scoring a hustling Howie Kendrick.
The big hit made up for Bobby Abreu’s huge base-running gaffe in the eighth and the Angels’ missed opportunities at the plate in extra innings.
They appeared to have the game in hand when Mathis doubled in the 10th. Yankees closer Mariano Rivera entered to face Erick Aybar, dousing the rally. Aybar bunted down the third-base line. Rivera fired wildly to Alex Rodriguez at third, but a sliding Mathis wasn’t able to advance as Johnny Damon alertly backed up the throw.
The Angels were intentionally conservative after Bobby Abreu’s base-running blunder in the eighth. He doubled, thought about a triple and ended up with an out as Derek Jeter threw behind him to trailing first baseman Mark Teixeira, who tagged him at second.
After a Chone Figgins groundout in the 10th, the Yankees intentionally walked Abreu, loading the bases for Torii Hunter. He hit a sharp groundball to Teixeira, who fired home, preserving the tie for Vladimir Guerrero.
It was a game of big swings. The teams combined for six home runs, tying the ALCS record. Derek Jeter set the tone with a leadoff blast off starter Jered Weaver, who allowed three home runs for the first time all season. Rodriguez, Johnny Damon and Jorge Posada also went deep, the catcher’s blast a fist-pumping moment that tied the game at 4-all in the eighth.
Though Yankee Stadium has been lampooned as Coors Field Lite, the Bombers hit 108 road home runs this season.
The Angels finally came to life with Vladimir Guerrero’s game-tying home run in the fifth inning off otherwise effective Andy Pettitte. They then bum-rushed reliever Joba Chamberlain, Howie Kendrick smoking the right-hander’s first pitch, a 95-mph fastball, for a double. Pinch-hitter Macier Izturis’ sacrifice fly later scored Kendrick, giving the Angels a short-lived seventh-inning lead that they finally regained with Mathis’ swing.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 ortrenck@denverpost.com.
