Angels take 2-1 series lead over Yankees

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The New York Yankees just can't put away these Anaheim Angels.

Now, it's the four-time defending AL champions who are one loss from going home in early October.

Darin Erstad hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and Tim Salmon followed with a two-run homer as the Angels again rallied, overcoming a five-run deficit to beat the Yankees 9-6 on Friday night.

Anaheim took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five AL division series. The Angels can clinch it when their ace, Jarrod Washburn, faces David Wells in Game 4 Saturday.

The Yankees, however, faced an even more desperate situation last year in the first round against Oakland. After dropping the first two games at home, New York came back to advance.

Athletics 6, Twins 3

The Athletics found a great way to quiet that noisy Metrodome -- hitting home runs, both in and out of the park.

Ray Durham led off the game with a sinking liner that let him circle the bases and Scott Hatteberg followed with a drive over the right-field wall, sending the Athletics past the Twins for a 2-1 lead in their AL division series.

Backed by four home runs off Rick Reed, Barry Zito struck out eight in six innings for the win. Ricardo Rincon pitched two scoreless innings in relief and Billy Koch closed for the save.

The crowd of 55,932 -- a Metrodome playoff record -- loudly cheered and twirled their Homer Hankies before the Twins' first home postseason game since the 1991 World Series.

Elsewhere

GIANTS:Dusty Baker, a three time Manager of the Year who never won a playoff series, is said to be wanted by the Giants. The team, according to reports, will soon offer Baker a contract.

INDIANS: General manager Mark Shapiro will meet this weekend with Joel Skinner, Cleveland's interim manager since July 11, to discuss the past season and the club's future. Skinner in on a short list of candidates that Shapiro is considering as Cleveland's next full-time manager. Shapiro isn't viewing his meeting with Skinner as a job interview, but conceded that it could lead to Skinner becoming the Indians next manager.

METS:The search for a new manager has begun. Mets general manager Steve Phillips and his staff plan to interview Mets hitting coach Chris Chambliss on Friday, accoring to a report in the New York Post. Chambliss is apparently the strongest in-house candidate to replace Bobby Valentine, who was fired Tuesday after the Mets endured its worst finish since 1993.

-- From wire reports