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Yanks aim to stay hot versus Angels

Jun 7, 2015 - 2:13 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Owners of the longest winning streak in the major leagues, the New York Yankees try to make it six in a row on Sunday as they close out a three-game series against the LA Angels of Anaheim in the Bronx.

New York, which owns first place in the American League East by 1 1/2 games over Tampa Bay, put a little more distance between the two clubs by posting an 8-2 victory on Saturday. It was the second game in a row that the Yankees dropped eight on L.A. and now the squad has outscored opponents by a combined 31-15 during the win streak.

Brett Gardner, Mark Teixeira and Brian McCann each knocked in a pair of runs for the hosts, the latter connecting on his ninth home run of the campaign. Except for Chris Young and Stephen Drew, every Yankee to step to the plate scored during the romp, with six of those runs coming in the first inning.

New York starting pitcher Adam Warren evened his record at 4-4 as he surrendered two runs on four hits and three walks, striking out two over 6 2/3 innings.

"I feel more comfortable going deeper in the game," Warren said after throwing a career-high 105 pitches. "Early on it felt like the game just seemed so much longer to me, going five, six, seven innings. I feel a lot more comfortable, and it just comes from learning and getting into the routine of starting and getting comfortable where you're at."

Garrett Richards was one of five pitchers used by the Angels, but he couldn't even get through the first inning as the Bombers put on a hitting display that sent the starter packing after just 2/3 innings of work.

"My delivery felt as good as it's been all year," Richards said of his performance. "My sinker was sinking, my cutter was cutting, I threw a couple good curves and sliders. It was one of those nights."

The Angels, losers of four straight after enjoying a five-game win streak, saw Mike Trout connect on his 15th home run, a solo shot, but he also struck out twice. Matt Joyce, who doubled in the fifth, scored on a sacrifice fly by Johnny Giavotella for the other LA run.

Already with seven defeats on the season, CC Sabathia tries to find more consistency on Sunday as he toes the rubber for the Yankees in the series finale.

The left-hander has won just twice in 2015, defeating Tampa Bay and Kansas City in back-to-back road tests last month and since then he has lost a pair and come away with a no-decision in his most recent effort against Seattle earlier in the week.

Sabathia managed to get through 5 2/3 innings versus the Mariners at Safeco Field, permitting two runs on nine hits and a couple of walks, while striking out six, but he failed to factor into the decision as the Yankees eventually came away with the 5-3 victory.

The California native, who broke in with the Cleveland Indians in 2001 and needs just six strikeouts to reach 2,500, has a career mark of 8-8 with a 4.02 ERA in 18 all-time appearances against the Angels.

Countering Sabathia, who has not won at Yankee Stadium since Sept. 20, 2013, will be C.J. Wilson. A lefty who is also from the Golden State, Wilson has also had trouble maintaining a winning consistency. On Tuesday he was tabbed for his second loss in the last three games as he and the Angels bowed to Tampa Bay at home, 6-1.

Wilson made it through six innings before heading to the showers, permitting five runs on just four hits and three bases-on-balls, striking out seven, as his ERA rose to 3.55.

While he has faced the Yankees 27 times previously, many of those outings for Wilson began in the bullpen, which is why he has a record of just 4-3, to go along with a pair of saves and a 3.07 ERA.