NewsNEW YORK -- Randy Johnson got pummelled Friday in Game 3 of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium, but after New York climbed out of an early hole to take the lead, the Bombers bullpen gave it right back to the visiting Angels.
The Halos' 11-7 victory makes Saturday a must-win Game 4 for the Yankees, who'll need back-to-back wins to keep their season alive.
It's all on right-hander Shawn Chacon and the Yankees relievers, too, because the Bronx Bombers' offense did more than enough Friday to pick up a win against the Angels.
Vitals check
A look at key statistics through Game 3 of the ALDS.
Team stats
| Digits | Trend | The Deal | |
| ERA | 4.85 |  |
Unit came up small. So did Small and Co. |
| BA | .260 (27-for-104) |  |
12 hits and seven runs usually gets it done |
| BA w/ RISP | .231 (6-for-26) | |
Better than 2-for-10 would have helped |
| Runs | 14 | |
Repeat -- offense wasn't the problem |
| Player | Digits | Trend | The Deal |
| Jason Giambi | .417 (5-for-12), 2 2B, 2 RBIs | |
Leads Yankees in hitting thus far |
| Hideki Matsui | 4-for-11, 2B, HR | |
Went 2-for-3 with a homer Friday |
| Player | Digits | Trend | The Deal |
| Gary Sheffield | 2-for-12, no extra-base hits | |
Went 0-for-4 Friday |
The supposed home-field advantage the Yankees enjoy hasn't panned out in recent years. Dating back to 2002, they're 8-10 at Yankee Stadium in the playoffs. Frozen moment
Seeing Johnson get booed off the mound in the fourth inning of a playoff game can't be what The Boss envisioned when he gave Big Unit a $32 million extension.
Slick move
Given the strength of Vladimir Guerrero's throwing arm, Yankees third-base coach Luis Sojo's decision to hold lumbering Giambi at third on Matsui's two-out single in the first was easy but smart. It looked like pure genius when Robinson Cano followed with his bases-clearing double.
Johnson didn't take the loss, but his struggles in the first round continued. In 10 first-round playoff appearances, his ERA is a baffling 4.91. Last word
"They had good swings all night. They had a good game plan, and if they knew what was coming, they did a good job of putting it in play."
-- Yankees catcher John Flaherty
Mychael Urban is a national writer for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
