Salmon Has Best Answer

If this were October, this would be the kind of game savored, analyzed and replayed for years to come. And, with this kind of success under pressure, the Angels might well advance to the playoffs for the first time in 16 years.

Manager Mike Scioscia likes to preach that all games are equal in importance, but some games are more equal than others. For the second time this season, and with the Angels four outs away from defeating the mighty New York Yankees, Scioscia summoned closer Troy Percival before the ninth inning.

Percival blew the save. No matter. He won the game.

After Bernie Williams tagged Percival for the game-tying home run in the top of the eighth, Tim Salmon tagged Ramiro Mendoza for the game-winning home run in the bottom of the eighth. Percival retired the Yankees in the ninth, preserving a dramatic 5-4 victory Saturday that ensured the Angels would do no worse than split this four-game series.

“There’s no doubt it was a big game,” Salmon said. “Any time you play the Yankees, it’s a big game, and we’re playing for something right now.”

The Angels built a 4-0 lead, lost it all in the eighth inning and won anyway, a thriller before a raucous sellout crowd of 43,619 at Edison Field. The Angels reclaimed a one-game lead over the Boston Red Sox in the American League wild-card race.

If Percival congratulated Salmon on the home run that flipped deflation into elation, Salmon didn’t hear it.

“I was so fired up, I didn’t hear much from anybody,” Salmon said. “I was too busy high-fiving people.”

If the championship teams win the close games, the Angels might be on their way. They have won 12 of their last 14 one-run games.

Angel starter Aaron Sele was magnificent, carrying a two-hit shutout and a 4-0 lead into the eighth inning.

After Nick Johnson led off the eighth with a single, on Sele’s 111th pitch, Scioscia opted for the bullpen. Scioscia called on Ben Weber, whose forte is getting batters to hit ground balls.

Rondell White hit a ground ball, but it rolled into left field for a single. Alfonso Soriano hit a ground ball to shortstop, and the Angels forced White at second. Derek Jeter hit another ground ball to shortstop, and the Angels forced Soriano at second, with Johnson scoring the Yankees’ first run.

Scioscia then summoned left-hander Scott Schoeneweis to face the left-handed Jason Giambi. Schoeneweis had not given up a hit in six consecutive appearances, but Giambi singled.

Now, with the tying runs on base, Scioscia called on Percival to face Williams. Scioscia said the move reflected less of an emphasis on this particular game and more on the recent workload of two other relievers, Brendan Donnelly and Scot Shields.

“And I thought the matchup was important enough to bring Percival on,” Scioscia said.

The last time Percival pitched in the eighth inning, on May 30 in Minnesota, he blew the save.

He did this time too, with Williams poking an 0-2 fastball just inside the right-field foul pole for a three-run home run. The homer tied the score, 4-4, and tied Williams with Don Mattingly on the all-time Yankee home run list, at 222.

Since that May day in Minnesota, Percival had converted 17 consecutive save opportunities.

“Sele deserved to get that win. I didn’t want it,” Percival said. “I’d prefer to have the save.”

Troy Glaus, celebrating his 26th birthday, singled with two out in the fourth inning. On the next pitch, Brad Fullmer hit a home run, his 12th of the season and his second in August. He hit none in July.

Darin Erstad, signed to a four-year, $32-million contract extension earlier in the day, singled to start the sixth inning. He later scored on a double by Salmon, and Salmon later scored on a sacrifice fly by Glaus, giving the Angels a 4-0 lead.