Yankees 10, Angels 1: Yankees starter CC Sabathia was yet again dominant for the Yankees in the playoffs, allowing just one run on a Kendry Morales homerun. The only time he was in trouble was in the 5th and 6th innings, but the Angels could not capitalize. Sabathia threw just 101 pitches in his eight innings of work, allowing 5 hits and had five strikeouts. Sabathia had struggled throughout his career in the postseason, both last year with Milwaukee and in 2007 with the Indians. This year with the Yankees, the team is getting its money’s worth. In three postseason starts so far, Sabathia is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA with just 3 walks and 20 strikeouts in 22.2 innings pitched. Manager Joe Girardi finally got a chance to use reliever/starter Chad Gaudin in a postseason game, letting him pitch the ninth. Gaudin sent down the Los Angeles Dodgers in order, 1-2-3. Girardi looks like a genius for pitching Sabathia on 3 days rest, one night after being second-guessed for his quick bullpen moves.

In the 4th inning, the Yankees got to Angels starter Scott Kazmir, scoring three runs, 2 on a single by clutch hitter Melky Cabrera. It could have been a lot worse for the Angels, but Nick Swisher was doubled off of third base on a fly ball out after the umpires ruled he left early. However replays showed he did not and the umpires admitted to missing the call. After Kazmir gave up a leadoff single to Mark Teixeira, Kazmir was gone and in came Jason Bulger, who had been reliable for the Angels. However, Bulger gave up a homerun to Alex Rodriguez and a walk to Jorge Posada, ending his night. From there the bullpen was solid for the Angels until Johnny Damon crushed a 2-out, 2-run homerun in the 8th inning off of Matt Palmer to give the Yankees a 7-1 lead. The Yankees broke the game wide open in the 9th, highlighted by a 2-run double from Cabrera.

The Angels are now down 3 games to one, with Game 5 to be held in LA on Thursday night. The Angels will send Game 1 starter John Lackey to the mound and are hoping for a better turnout. Lackey lasted just 5.2 innings, allowing 4 runs on nine hits with 3 walks. The Yankees will be sending AJ Burnett, who pitched wildly outstanding in Game 2. Burnett went 6.1 innings, giving up three hits and 2 runs, while striking out 4. However, he also walked two, hit two batters, and threw a wild pitch. Twelve of the previous sixteen teams with a 3-1 series lead have gone on to the World Series. The Boston Red Sox in 2007 came back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat Sabathia’s Indians, but the Red Sox were returning home for Games 6 & 7. In 2004, the Red Sox came back from a 3-0 deficit to the Yankees to make it to the World Series. Yes the numbers are against the Angels but it is possible to win three games in a row.