Jered Weaver and two relievers held the Yankees to three hits as the Angels beat New York 3-2 Friday night in Anaheim. Weaver (7- 4) had gone without a win the entire month of May, went 7 innings allowing 2 runs on 3 hits, while striking out 8 and walking 4.
It looked like it was going to be a short outing for Weaver. It took him 53 pitches to get through just two innings, including a 15 pitch battle with Derek Jeter to lead off the game. However, Weaver became more economical with his pitches as the game progressed, using just 18 pitches to get through the 5th and 6th innings, before turning the game over to the Halo's bullpen in the 8th. Scott Downs pitched a scoreless 8th and Jordan Walden pitched a perfect 9th, striking out two, to record his 13th save.
The Angels gave Weaver some unaccustomed run-support when they scored two runs in the first inning off of Yankees starter Ivan Nova (4-4). Erick Aybar hit a one-out single to right and scored when Bobby Abreu doubled into the left field gap. After a passed ball and a Torii Hunter walk, Abreu scored the second run of the inning on a RBI ground out by Alberto Callaspo.
New York was able to cut the Angel lead in half the next inning when Alex Rodriguez led off the 2nd with a double and was driven in two batters later by Russell Martin. The Yankees then tied the game in the 4th when Jorge Posada hit a 2-out ground-rule double with two on, but was stranded when Weaver struck out Brett Gardner to end the threat.
Peter Bourjos put the Angels on top for good with a bases loaded single past a diving Rodriguez in the 4th that scored Russell Branyan. Fortunately that would be enough for Weaver and the pen as the Angel twice left the bases loaded, stranding 10 overall.