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Little-used Budde comes up big in Angels' comeback win

Aug 21, 2007 - 7:06 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- To maintain baseball's best home record, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim turned to two unlikely heroes.

Ryan Budde hit a walk-off double to score Howie Kendrick as the Angels posted a 7-6 victory in 10 innings over the New York Yankees on Monday night.

Budde, a little-used catcher making just his 12th major league at-bat, lofted a double into deep right-center off Yankees reliever Sean Henn (2-1) to give Anaheim its 30th comeback win of the season.

"It's a dream," Budde said. "I have been waiting for all my life (to do that), especially against the Yankees. It's a great feeling and my smile is bigger right now."

The game-winning hit was just the second hit and first RBI of Budde's career as the Angels improved to 41-17 at home.

"I was on the bench rooting for my teammates all game, and then I just got thrown in the game late," Budde said. "I was told to just try and drive the ball the opposite way with one out and I got a fastball to hit."

Kendrick, who missed 43 days due to a fractured left index finger, preceded Budde's heroics in the 10th with a ground-rule double that bounced just inside the right field line and into the ground. The 24-year-old scored three times and finished with two hits.

"I was just excited to get back out playing again," Kendrick said. "Just wanted to make solid contact and make the most out of my at-bats, and it's a great way to get back to the team with a win like this."

Darren Oliver (1-0) tossed a perfect 10th to get the win and cap off a contest filled with fireworks and comebacks.

Following Alex Rodriguez's 40th home run - a two-run blast - that gave the Yankees a 4-3 lead, New York looked to be on their way to improving on their league-best 27-11 record since the All-Star break.

"You know, Alex has been doing this all year for us," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "There is nothing more I can say about him and how many times he comes up with big hits."

But in typical Anaheim comeback fashion, the Angels answered in the bottom half of the seventh as three consecutive hitters pushed across a run.

Chone Figgins and Orlando Cabrera each hit consecutive RBI singles to turn a one-run deficit into a 5-4 lead, and Vladimir Guerrero followed with a run-scoring groundout to extend the lead to 6-4.

Jorge Posada responded quickly for the Yankees in the top of the eighth, belting a two-run home run to right to tie the game at 6-6.

Rodriguez scored three times and Posada finished with three RBI for the Yankees, who saw an end to their three-game winning streak.

"They put a lot of pressure on us today," Yankees designated hitter Johnny Damon said. "Alex and Jorge came up with some big hits that kept us in the game but they just battled back."

"This was just one of those games that are fun to watch no matter who you are," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "It was a good win for us especially when the Yanks are at the top of their (game)."

The loss dropped the Yankees five games behind first-place Boston in the American League East.

"We didn't beat ourselves tonight, they beat us," Torre said.

Scioscia was ejected for arguing balls and strikes with third base umpire Dan Iassogna following a strikeout by Reggie Willits in the bottom of the eighth.