Yankees 6 - 5 Angels
Final
  for this game

Holy rollers: Angels aim for 9th straight win, sweep of Yankees

May 30, 2012 - 2:50 PM

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(Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim go after their ninth straight win this evening when they wrap up a three-game set with the New York Yankees at Angel Stadium.

Like the Angels, Albert Pujols continued his resurgence on Tuesday, as he homered to help the Halos get above .500 for the first time since the first game of the season in a 5-1 win.

Pujols is 4-for-8 in this series and his 24 RBI in May are second only to Texas' Josh Hamilton. He also has seven home runs since May 16.

"We're playing good," said Pujols, who moved past Carl Yastrzemski for 34th on the all-time list with 453 homers. "We're playing good defense, and we're getting some big hits. We're doing the things we need to do to win."

Dan Haren (3-5) was again terrific, as he allowed a run in seven-plus frames. He also struck out seven without walking a batter. Haren, of course, struck out 14 in a four-hit shutout his last time out.

Alex Rodriguez had three hits and Derek Jeter went 2-for-4 to lead the Yanks, who have dropped the first two games of this set and have not been swept in Anaheim since losing three straight from July 10-12, 2009.

"We just weren't able to break through," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "A good part of that was their defense. Their defense kept us from scoring runs tonight."

Andy Pettitte (2-2) absorbed the loss in his 400th start with the Yankees, surrendering five runs and nine hits in seven innings.

Tonight the Angels will try to win nine straight for the first time since Aug. 18-27, 2004 behind right-hander Ervin Santana.

Santana opened the year by losing six straight starts, but the Angels were shutout in five of those outings. Still, Santana didn't help himself any, as he pitched to a 5.59 ERA in those starts.

He managed to win his next two outings, but has not received a decision in either of his last two assignments and on Friday against the Seattle Mariners he walked seven batters in five innings of his team's 6-4 win.

"I don't know if I've ever seen Ervin more erratic than he was tonight," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

Santana gave up five runs in a loss to the Yankees on April 13 and is 5-6 lifetime against them with a 5.70 ERA.

Heading to the hill for the Yankees tonight will be righty Ivan Nova, who is 5-2 with a 5.46 ERA. Nova beat the Oakland Athletics on Friday, as he held them to a three runs and six hits in seven innings.

Nova beat the Angels back on April 15 and is 2-1 in three starts against them with a 4.50 ERA. His only loss to them came in Anaheim and is 9-0 in his last 12 starts away from the Bronx.

The Yankees took two of three from the Halos earlier in the season.






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