ANGELS' KEY: BE LIKE MIKE.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Mike Scioscia stood his ground the past few days much as he did as a catcher with the Dodgers for 13 seasons. He might get knocked over, even knocked out, but he wasn't going to back down from anyone.

Under the bright lights of the aggressive New York media and a national audience, the Angels manager didn't mind being criticized for not going to closer Troy Percival in the eighth inning of Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Tuesday against the New York Yankees. He went as far as to say he enjoyed it because, ``That's baseball, and it's beautiful.''

In Game 2, Scioscia did go to Percival with two outs in the eighth and the Angels won the game to even the best-of-five series at one game apiece. He didn't concede he was wrong in Game 1, saying instead the matchups presented in Game 2 were better suited for Percival.

``I didn't feel any heat at all, I really didn't,'' Scioscia said. ``My perspective on this second-guessing is opinions. It's talking about the game. I love to do that.''

Tough-minded, hard-headed, stubborn, whatever you want to call it, that's Scioscia and it's reflected in his players as they get set to play the Yankees tonight in Game 3 at Edison Field.

Losing Game 1 as the Angels did - giving up four runs in the eighth inning of an 8-5 loss - might have sent other teams running for cover. Not these Angels.

Many Angels players seemed surprised when reporters new to their clubhouse said they have come out of nowhere. They responded by saying they've been right here, all season, for anyone who cared. They played well in spring training, endured a rough start and played consistently well all during the regular season.

But Scioscia isn't one to take the credit.

``I know it's a cliche, but you just try to be yourself,'' he said of his managerial style. ``The persistence of this ballclub isn't something I've forged. Their persistence is that of a very aggressive club that never quits. They've been able to come out after losses that are perceived as (tough). They played a good game (Wednesday) night after a tough loss. Even before I got here, it was a trait. These guys have tremendous resiliency.

``This isn't a fluke. You don't win 99 games and put any other tag on it other than championship-caliber.''

Scioscia likes the phrase ``championship-caliber.'' He said it so much some of his players now say it in interviews. Scioscia's words and ideas have infused the clubhouse, and that's the attitude that has put the Angels in position to win the series and advance to the ALCS without having to go back to New York.

``You don't get a free pass to the postseason, they had to be doing something right,'' Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter said. ``They are a tough team. People said they didn't have the postseason experience. They do now. Those guys don't give up.''

There were those who said the Angels could have given up after losing Game 1, that the Yankees' talent, combined with their ``mystique,'' could not be overcome. But in the clubhouse after that game, the Angels scoffed at such a notion.

Angels center fielder Darin Erstad was disappointed in the loss but could barely contain himself.

``That was awesome,'' he said. ``I want to keep playing. I can't wait to come back tomorrow.''

Even though the Angels limped to the finish line last season, going 75-87 and finishing 27 games out of a playoff spot, Yankees manager Joe Torre said he isn't surprised by what the Angels are doing this year.

``I saw this happening last year,'' Torre said. ``Mike is very serious- minded, yet you see he commands a lot of respect from his players. He doesn't ask them to do anything he didn't do as a player.

``What's going on right now is they're playing the way they expect to play, the way Mike Scioscia expects them to play. They're all playing very well right now. This club, they know what to do and they do their job.''

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Angels manager Mike Scioscia has gotten his players to buy into his system this season, and it's led the Angels to the playoffs.

Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press