In the time-share arrangement that passes for the Angels' catching duties, Jeff Mathis is supposed to be the defensive specialist. Mike Napoli usually supplies the offense. But it was Mathis who doubled twice after entering ALCS Game 3 as a defensive replacement, driving in the game-winning run in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the 11th inning. The second double kept the Angels from going down 3-0 in the best-of-seven series and gives them a chance to even the series with a victory Tuesday night in Game 4. "Mathis, man -- he has a lot of heart," center fielder Torii Hunter said. "I've been preaching this to you guys for a long time -- what you do in the regular season doesn't matter now.
"Playoffs is a different animal, a different adrenaline."
An exceptionally athletic catcher with superior defensive skills, Mathis has offered little offensively at the major league level. He hit just .211 this season.
But he doubled off Yankees reliever Phil Hughes in the 10th inning Monday. Stranded that inning, Mathis did it again in the 11th, driving in Howie Kendrick from first base with the decisive run. It was easily "the biggest hit of my life," Mathis said.
"When you look and you're down there at .200, sure, it's frustrating," Mathis said of his offensive struggles. "When you're not playing all the time, you can't get into the rhythm. But that's not an excuse for not hitting."
ANGELS 5, YANKEES 4 (11 innings): The Angels and Yankees went extra innings for the second consecutive game. This time, the Angels got the big hits they had been lacking in the first two games of the ALCS and won it with a two-out rally in the bottom of the 11th. After David Robertson retired the first two batters in the inning, Yankees manager Joe Girardi replaced him with Alfredo Aceves (the eighth Yankees pitcher in the game). Howie Kendrick singled up the middle off Aceves and scored all the way from first base when Jeff Mathis drove his second double of the game into the left-center field gap.
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