Los Angeles Angels' Kendry Morales hits a three-run home run as New York Yankees catcher Jose Molina, right, catches and Joba Chamberlain pitches during the fifth inning of their Major League Baseball game, Friday, July 10, 2009, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
(AP) — Mark Teixeira didn’t mind the boo-birds.
Kendry Morales and Erick Aybar hit three-run homers and the Angels rallied to spoil Teixeira’s first appearance in Anaheim with a 10-6 victory over the New York Yankees on Friday night.
Teixeira, who left in the offseason to sign a free-agent deal with the Yankees, went 1 for 5 and stranded four runners. He was showered by boos throughout the game.
“Every fan wants their team to win and to be the best. And if you leave, they’re not happy about it,” Teixeira said. “But I get booed in every stadium. That’s the great thing about being a Yankee. So many people care when the Yankees come into town.”
Teixeira helped fuel the Angels’ postseason run in 2008 by hitting .358 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs after being acquired from the Atlanta Braves in late July.
He left with good memories.
“It was wonderful. I got a chance to play in the postseason for the first time, so I have nothing but great memories here,” Teixeira said.
Aybar provided the spark for the Angels, who are missing Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero and Juan Rivera because of injuries.
“You don’t see Erick hit home runs very often, you don’t see him miss one by a couple feet foul and then come back and hit one,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. “Two good at-bats and we needed them.”
Alex Rodriguez homered for the Yankees, who failed to extend their eight-game road winning streak despite taking a 4-0 lead in the second.
“We swung a notch above and got back into the game,” Scioscia said.
Gary Matthews Jr. had an RBI single in the second for his 1,000th career hit, and Bobby Abreu drove in a run in the fifth to cut the Yankees’ lead to 5-2. Morales then hit the first pitch he saw from Yankees starter Joba Chamberlain over the wall in center field to tie the game at 5.
Chone Figgins’ RBI triple in the sixth gave Los Angeles a 6-5 lead.
Chamberlain, coming off one of his worst starts of the season where he gave up a career-high eight runs, allowed the run in the second before imploding in the fifth.
He pitched 4 1-3 innings and gave up five runs — four earned — and nine hits.
“It’s frustrating. I’m letting my teammates down, so it’s kind of embarrassing, too,” Chamberlain said. “I’m doing everything I can between starts, going out everyday and continuing to work my tail off to get better to help this team, and I’m not getting results.”
Mike Napoli reached on an atypical error by shortstop Derek Jeter in the seventh and Jeff Mathis was walked by Brian Bruney. With two outs, Aybar connected to deep right to make it 10-6.
Mark Melancon (0-1) took the loss for New York, with Jason Bulger (4-1) pitching an inning for the win.
Brian Fuentes struck out Jorge Posada with two runners on for his 25th save in 28 chances.
Angels starter Joe Saunders continued to struggle with his command, giving up the four early runs.
Jeter, who was 4 for 5, hit the first pitch for a leadoff single in the first and Johnny Damon was walked after starting the at-bat with an 0-2 count.
Rodriguez hit a double to score both runners and Nick Swisher had an RBI single off Saunders, who gave up nine hits and five runs in five innings.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.
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