ANGELS LEAN ON UNLIKELY STAR ANGELS 1, N.Y. YANKEES 0.

Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - A superstar and spackle. That's what the Angels will be reduced to for the foreseeable future.

On Tuesday night, against the well-moneyed machine that is the New York Yankees, that was just enough.

Slugger Vladimir Guerrero provided a game-saving defensive play from right field and a key hit to aid the winning rally, and journeyman Adam Riggs, recalled before the game, singled home the game-winning run in the bottom of the 11th as the Angels defeated the Yankees 1-0 in front of 43,660 at Angel Stadium.

The Angels (26-13) won for the 19th time in 24 games, although the fact their lineup extended a scoreless innings streak to 24 before Riggs' game-winning hit could be a harbinger that the depth so key to their recent success could be headed for a drought.

But they won, which is all that matters, thanks to a motley crew of characters.

Guerrero provided the highlight of the first nine innings, cutting down Jorge Posada at the plate when he tried to score on Bernie Williams' two-out single in the ninth. If he scored, peerless closer Mariano Rivera would have pitched the ninth and the Angels probably would have lost.

But Guerrero delivered a two-hop strike to Jose Molina, who struggled to gather the ball in but blocked the plate enough on Posada to convince umpire Hunter Wendelstedt that Posada was out.

The Angels failed to score in the ninth or 10th, but thanks to the bullpen threesome of Francisco Rodriguez, Troy Percival and Scot Shields providing five innings of scoreless one-hit relief, they still had a chance.

Riggs made the most of it.

The 31-year-old singled off Paul Quantrill over a drawn-in outfield to drive in Jeff DaVanon with the game's only run. DaVanon and Guerrero opened the inning with singles, and Casey Kotchman was intentionally walked after a sacrifice bunt.

That the Yankees were subdued by such a crew is indicative of the Angels' resiliency. On Tuesday, they attacked the $184 million Yankees with a lineup at which George Steinbrenner would sneer.

Starting pitcher Aaron Sele wasn't even in the rotation at the start of the year. First baseman Kotchman was at Double-A Arkansas 10 days ago.

Third baseman Chone Figgins had never played the position professionally until last month, and center fielder DaVanon is more suited to bench play or left field than an everyday role in center.

At least their designated hitter homered the night before, but then again, Riggs was in Colorado Springs, playing for the Angels' Triple-A affiliate.

The Angels still lead the American League in runs scored, but the cast that achieved that is mostly on the mend.

Angels third baseman Troy Glaus leads the league in home runs with 11. But Glaus will go under the knife of team physician Dr. Lewis Yocum on Friday, undergoing a shoulder surgery that probably will sideline him the rest of the year.

They also show left fielder Jose Guillen is tied for seventh with eight home runs, but seven of those came when he was hitting behind Glaus. Minus the big third baseman, Guillen will get far fewer cookies to hit.

And so the Angels struggled Tuesday, stretching their scoreless streak to 24 innings dating to Saturday. Glaus is gone, center fielder Garret Anderson had more tests Tuesday that, if like previous tests, told the club nothing about his upper-back stiffness. First baseman Darin Erstad will be gone until at least mid-June, designated hitter Tim Salmon until probably the end of this month.

Manager Mike Scioscia said the Angels will lean even more on their starters. Aaron Sele proved up to the task Tuesday.

Hardly the picture of efficiency, Sele made enough pitches at key times to throw six shutout innings. He walked four, including three in the fourth inning, when Figgins made a throwing error that seemed to give the Angels' new everyday third baseman happy feet on subsequent chances.

But Molina threw out Gary Sheffield trying to steal second, and Sele struck out Williams looking. After walking Tony Clark to load the bases, he induced a fielder's-choice grounder out of Miguel Cairo.

He was perfect in the fifth and sixth innings, delivering a two-hit shutout into the capable hands of the Angels bullpen.

Gabe Lacques, [phone]

gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- color) Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter forces out Angels baserunner Jose Guillen in a game Anaheim won in the 11th.

Chris Carlson/Associated Press

(2) AARON SELE

Box:

GAME RECAP