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Yankees-Angels Preview

Apr 23, 2010 - 7:22 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

New York (11-4) at Los Angeles (8-9), 10:05 p.m. EDT

Last week, the New York Yankees picked up where they left off in October against the Los Angeles Angels.

The Yankees look to continue their strong start when they open a three-game series against the Angels on Friday in Anaheim.

In their first meeting since last October's AL championship series, New York (11-4) took two of three against Los Angeles (8-9) from April 13-15 in the Bronx. The Yankees, who received their World Series rings in the opener of that series, won the pennant by beating the Angels in six games.

New York hit five homers - two apiece by Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter - and scored 16 runs in last week's series versus the Angels.

Alex Rodriguez went 3 for 11 with two RBIs after batting .429 in the ALCS with three homers, two doubles and six RBIs.

The third baseman enters the weekend hitting .315 with two homers and 10 RBIs on the season. He went 4 for 10 against Oakland this week to help the Yankees take two of three from the A's to begin their nine-game road trip. They lost Thursday's finale 4-2 despite Rodriguez helping turn the franchise's first triple play since 1968.

Rodriguez also drew the ire of Oakland starter Dallas Braden in a bizarre sixth-inning incident. Rodriguez was running between second base and third when Cano fouled off a pitch, forcing him back to first. After the Yankees star cut across the pitcher's mound, Braden started shouting at Rodriguez and the argument continued until A's manager Bob Geren came out and walked Braden off the field.

"He just told me to get off his mound," Rodriguez said. "I was a little surprised. ... I've never even heard of that in my career and I still don't know. I thought it was pretty funny, actually."

Off to their best 15-game start since 2003, the Yankees have a 2.29 ERA over their last seven games. A.J. Burnett (2-0, 2.37 ERA) will try to continue that trend after pitching seven scoreless innings against Texas on Saturday, giving up six hits while striking out seven in a 7-3 victory.

Burnett did not earn a decision in two playoff starts against the Angels last year, posting a 5.84 ERA. New York split those games.

Hideki Matsui, who was 2 for 11 with four strikeouts against his former team last week, will try to get the Angels back on track after dropping the final two of a four-game home series against Detroit to end a five-game winning streak.

Matsui started in left field and went 2 for 5 with a solo homer in the fifth inning Thursday, but the Angels left nine on base and lost 5-4. Matsui is four hits away from 1,000 in his major-league career.

Ervin Santana (1-2, 4.35) will take the mound for the Angels looking to build on a complete-game effort. The right-hander gave up four hits and struck out six in a 3-1 win over Toronto on Sunday.

Santana struggled against the Yankees on April 13, giving up five runs while allowing two homers in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-5 loss.

Jeter is 12 for 27 with three homers against Santana.