The joke isn't all that funny anymore: While the name remains stupid, they've kept it since 2004.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Masahiro Tanaka fell behind 2-0 after 2 innings, but because he hadn't yet thrown 100 pitches, Joe Girardi let him pitch 7 full innings: 2 runs, 6 hits, 2 walks.
But through 6 innings, the Yankees only had 4 baserunners. It looked like it was going to be one of those games.
Then, in the 7th, the Yankees got Tanaka off the hook. As John Sterling would say, Brian McCann and Starlin Castro went back-to-back-and-a-belly-to-belly. For each, it was his 8th home run of the season. Tie game.
Andrew Miller came in and pitched a perfect top of the 8th. In the bottom of the 8th, with 1 out, Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner hit back-to-back singles. That finally knocked Matt Shoemaker out of the box, as Mike Scioscia replaced him with Jose Alvarez. Carlos Beltran crushed his 2nd pitch into the right field stands, for his 14th homer of the season.
Trading deadline, schmading deadline: Beltran's not going anywhere.
Aroldis Chapman bounced back from his blown save in the previous game, and pitched a perfect 9th. Yankees 5, Angels 2. WP: Miller (3-0). SV: Chapman (10). LP: Shoemaker (3-7).
The series continues tonight. Michael Pineda starts against former Yankee David Huff.