ANGELS FEEL RELIEF; PERCIVAL STOPS YANKEES IN NINTH : ANGELS 7, NEW YORK 6.

Byline: Joe Haakenson San Gabriel Valley Tribune

It has been a storybook season for the New York Yankees in 1998, but Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium the Angels stole a bit of their thunder.

The Yankees had one of their stars at the plate in Derek Jeter with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the ninth inning, trailing the Angels by one. But Angels closer Troy Percival snared a chopper hit to the right of the mound and threw out Jeter to preserve a 7-6 victory before 30,422.

It was the second win in a row for the Angels in the Bronx, their fourth consecutive overall. Because Texas lost, the Angels increased their lead in the AL West to 3-1/2 games.

For the once seemingly invincible Yankees, the loss was their third in a row and fifth in their past seven games. They had not lost three straight since dropping the first three games of the season - two to the Angels and one to Oakland.

There were many big performances by the Angels on this night, but what stands out is the way the Angels won, and how they're winning.

``The only thing we can do is go out and play our game,'' Angels manager Terry Collins said. ``We know exactly how good (the Yankees) are. We are as amazed as everybody how good a season they're having. But we can't come in here and not play the game the way we know how.''

``Everybody knows (the Yankees) are the most talented team in baseball,'' said Percival, whose 36th save tied his career high. ``Well, we've got the best grinders in baseball. When you put those two together, it's fun baseball.''

Allen Watson (6-7) got the win in relief of starter Omar Olivares. Watson gave up one run and four hits in three innings. Mike Stanton (4-1) got the loss.

The Angels had plenty of offensive stars Tuesday, but they got off to a late start. They entered the sixth inning trailing Yankees starter Hideki Irabu 4-1. But they scored twice in the sixth and four times in the seventh to take a 7-4 lead.

Jim Edmonds had three hits, and Darin Erstad, Troy Glaus and Matt Walbeck each had two hits to lead the offense. Garret Anderson's RBI single in the seventh gave the Angels the lead for good at 5-4, and Glaus' two-run double - after nearly getting beaned - gave the Angels a cushion at 7-4.

However, the Yankees did not go quietly.

Chili Davis' pinch single off the left-field fence made it 7-5 in the seventh and the Yankees tried to make the most out of little in the eighth. They turned two infield hits and a line-drive single by Paul O'Neill into a run, cutting the Angels' lead to 7-6. Collins went to Percival with runners on first and second and one out and Percival responded by striking out Bernie Williams, then getting Tino Martinez on a grounder to second to end the inning.

It wasn't easier in the ninth. Percival walked the bases loaded but got Jeter when it counted.

``A lot of people look at Texas and say we're hanging on,'' Percival said. ``We're not hanging on, we're running away.''

Collins, though, warned that the Angels haven't won anything yet.

``We know we've got three more to go (against the Yankees in the series),'' Collins said. ``Believe me, we're not satisfied yet. We need to get out of here in good shape. Just because we've won two games here doesn't mean we're done.''

But they will take the first two, even if it meant sweating it out to the very end.

``We've had a lot of nail-biters this year,'' Angels designated hitter Tim Salmon said. ``It's what this team is all about. Very rarely do we get an easy win. It always seems to come down to the ninth inning with Percy on the hump.''

CAPTION(S):

Photo

PHOTO (Color) Yankees baserunner Bernie Williams beats the throw to first as the Angels takes the late pickoff throw in the first inning.

Ron Frehm/Associated Press