ANGELS LULLED INTO LOSS AT N.Y. FIVE-RUN INNING, BASERUNNING BLUNDERS COSTLY N.Y. YANKEES 5, ANGELS 2.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA  Staff Writer

NEW YORK -- In the city that doesn't sleep, the Angels did just that Saturday with a yawner of a day against the New York Yankees.

One bad inning from Kelvim Escobar and two baserunning mistakes from Vladimir Guerrero were all it took for the Yankees to grab a 5-2 victory that was easier than the score would indicate.

Escobar gave up a three-run home run to Robinson Cano in the second inning and a two-run shot to Johnny Damon just three batters later as the Yankees gathered all the runs they would need.

A strategy that proved successful against the Chicago White Sox in his last start failed Escobar this time as Cano ripped a slider into the seats in right field.

``I never really throw sliders to lefties and I don't know what I was trying to do right there,'' Escobar said. ``Most of the time I throw my two-seam (fastball), changeup and split. I tried something different and it didn't work.

``We did it last game and I had good success against (Jim) Thome and a few of the lefties Chicago has. Pitching inside here you have to execute quality pitches because the right-field line is only 310 feet and you have to be careful.''

Proceeding with caution would have been prudent for Guerrero, who is not known as one of baseball's better baserunners and showed why.

With Chone Figgins on secondbase in the first inning and Guerrero on first, Juan Rivera poked a single into right field. Figgins scored while Yankees right fielder Bobby Abreu threw to thirdbase to easily cut down Guerrero for the last out.

In the sixth, the Angels tried to create some offense only to see Guerrero get in baserunning trouble again. Orlando Cabrera reached base on an Alex Rodriguez error, then stole second and thirdbase. Guerrero walked and stole second, putting two runners in scoring position with one out.

After Rivera struck out against reliever Scott Proctor, Yankees catcher Jorge Posada got some revenge by picking off Guerrero at second to end the threat.

``It's easy to sit back after the game and see that those two plays were something that weren't going to help us, but the vast majority of the time when we're aggressive it works out for us,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said.

``Today was unfortunate. It was obvious that Vlad was off too far on his secondary lead (in the sixth) and gave them a window to pick him off.''

Guerrero left without speaking to reporters. The former MVP, who has forged a brilliant career out of being aggressive, saw that style come back to haunt him this time.

``He's aggressive when he plays in the outfield, playing defense, swinging the bat,'' Escobar said. ``Everything he does, that's the way he plays. You can't really say anything about that. He's our best player.

``At the same time, with two outs right there, you have to be careful. You have to make sure you don't kill the inning like that.''

Escobar (8-10) turned things around with four scoreless innings after the second but still had multiple runners on base in three of those innings.

``I gave the team a chance but they pitched well,'' Escobar said. ``I know at the same time I put the team in a big hole by giving up fiveruns in one inning. Sometimes you put pressure on your offense when you give up that many runs.''

The Angels had just four hits so baserunners were at a premium. Two of those hits came in the seventh inning when Howie Kendrick had a one-out double and Adam Kennedy followed with a single to right, moving Kendrick to third. Jose Molina hit a sacrifice fly to score the run.

Molina's out, though, was the first of seven consecutive batters retired by Yankees relievers to end the game. Mariano Rivera pitched a perfect ninth for his 30th save and now has saved at least 30 games in each of the past four seasons and nine out of the past 10.

A resurgent Jaret Wright (9-6) made the early runs hold up as he gave up a first-inning run but nothing else on two hits in 5 1/3 innings. Wright has not given up a home run to the past 223 batters he has faced, the longest current streak of any major-league pitcher.

The Angels were hoping the road trip would be a good place to gain ground on the division-leading Oakland Athletics since the team plays well away from home. But they are just 3-3 on the trip with two more games left in New York and two to come at Texas.

``Every game is going to be very important,'' Escobar said. ``We know we have a tough schedule coming up and we have to face some good teams. We have to win games if we're going to stay in the race.''

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter heads back to the dugout after tagging out the Angels' Vladimir Guerrero to end the sixth inning.

Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

(2) WEAVER

Box:

ANGELS at N.Y. YANKEES

- Doug Padilla