LosAngeles.Angels.MLB.com

Kelvim Escobar allowed only three hits and two runs in seven innings, with eight strikeouts. (Kathy Willens/AP)

"I thought he was pulling me out," he said.

But the right-hander was wrong.

Escobar threw seven strong innings with a blister on his middle finger, Bengie Molina went 4-for-4 with a three-run homer and the Angels completed their first sweep over the Yankees in more than five years with a 4-3 win Sunday afternoon.

Overall, Escobar (8-9) allowed two runs and three hits. He walked four and struck out eight for the Angels, who posted their 10th comeback win in the last 16 games.

New York "is a playoff team. You want to go in there and show you can play with them," said Troy Percival, who threw a four-pitch ninth for his 24th save.

Anaheim completed its six-game road trip 5-1, and now returns home for a six-game homestand starting against Kansas City on Monday night.

With Oakland and Texas both losing, the Angels trail the American League West-leading A's by a half-game and are in a virtual tie with the Rangers. Anaheim leads the Majors with a .284 average and has won five straight, including its first sweep of the Yankees since May 11-13, 1999.

But the day began with Anaheim in a 2-0 hole, and Kevin Brown on the mound.

Molina entered 1-for-5 lifetime against Brown. But Sunday he singled to left in his first at-bat, hit his eighth homer in the fifth, and got a base hit to right before Brown (9-3) left after seven innings.

It was Molina's second game back after missing 18 with a broken right finger.

"I was happy [Brown] threw it in," said Molina, who hit a 1-2 slider for the home run. "If he throws it to the other side of the plate, it's nasty."

The same could be said of Escobar.

No matter that he was on a roll in the seventh, retiring 11 of his last 12 batters before issuing a two-out walk to No. 9 hitter Kenny Lofton. Escobar figured that with his blister acting up a bit and Bernie Williams up next, he was done.

Williams had already hit an RBI double off him in the third, and had fouled some tough pitches in two earlier at-bats.

"When I went up to him, I asked him if the blister was acting up," Scioscia said. "He assured us he felt great."

Escobar said he was surprised Scioscia let him pitch, and the right-hander made the move pay off, catching Williams looking at strike three to end the threat.

"That was a huge vote of confidence from Mike," he said. "That was great that he let me get another batter."

Donnelly worked around a solo homer to Gary Sheffield in the eighth, handing a one-run lead to Percival.

Facing Jorge Posada, John Olerud and pinch-hitter Ruben Sierra, Percival induced two groundouts and a flyout to preserve the win.

"Against the Yankees, you're just thankful that you got off the mound and you're still winning," he said.

New York jumped out early when Lofton scored from first on Williams' double to right field in the third.

The ball took an awkward bounce off the wall, and Vladimir Guerrero -- with one of the more feared arms in the Majors -- could only throw to second.

After moving to third on a sacrifice, Williams came home on Sheffield's one-out double to make it 2-0.

Escobar got out of the jam and went on to retire the next eight batters.

The Angels countered in the fifth.

Running on a bad left ankle, Jose Guillen legged out an infield single that ticked off Alex Rodriguez's glove at third base, and just beat out shortstop Derek Jeter's throw.

Jeff DaVanon reached on a bunt single, and one out later, Molina homered for a 3-2 lead.

With that, Anaheim was back in the game. Guillen, who homered in Saturday's win, plated Darin Erstad with a sacrifice fly in the sixth. The Yankees, with only one run against the Angels in the first two games, played like a deflated team.

"Everybody knows how tough it is to play here in New York," Escobar said. "To come in here the way we did, and win three games, it feels great."

Amy K. Nelson is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

print this page    |    email this page