ANAHEIM -- Newspapers and scoreboards and television shows insist that the Angels are better than the Yankees. And maybe they are. But given that it's early August and that the Yankees are in constant need of wins, they can't afford to harbor such thoughts.

In the Yankees' minds, they can be better than the Angels. And maybe they're right.

Yet this team provided no evidence toward that end on Friday night, serving up 17 hits and dropping a 10-5 game to the hosts at Angel Stadium. Ian Kennedy's brief start was the main reason why, but the overall effect was all that mattered.

"We had to play perfect ball to beat this team," outfielder Johnny Damon said, "and we did not do that tonight."

Not even close. The problems developed from Kennedy's first moments on the mound, when he allowed a two-run double to Torii Hunter. Damon perhaps could have caught it, but when he leaped back against the wall, his glove stayed slightly right of the ball.

The bullpen door swung open behind him, and Damon crumpled to the ground but remained in the game.

"Good thing I didn't have to throw right after that," he said. "I think I might have blacked out for a second."

From there, Kennedy's outing only grew worse. The first five Angels to face him in the third inning all reached base on a series of singles and doubles -- some of them bloops, some of them liners. By the time three of those baserunners had come around to score, Yankees manager Joe Girardi was on his way to the mound.

Kennedy's evening, after six outs, nine hits and five runs, was complete.

"There's nothing you can do about this start," Girardi said. "You've got to put that behind you. You learn from it and move on."

As if heeding his manager's advice, an unfazed Kennedy insisted after the game that he was pleased with his start. Knowing that Hunter's double could have been caught and that several of the hits were not well-struck, Kennedy made certain to note that he was not upset. And knowing that he will pitch again in five days -- "He's in our rotation," Girardi said -- Kennedy did not spend much time harping on this loss.

"I'm just not real upset about it," he said. "I'm just going to move on. I've already done that."

But pardon the rest of the Yankees if they didn't take this loss so lightly. Considering that the Rays won yet again, the Yankees needed to beat the Angels to keep pace in the AL East. And though Kennedy's start didn't knock them out of the game -- they twice rallied back to give him support -- the Yankees proceeded feeling understandably hindered.

Darrell Rasner gave them reason to hope, entering in relief of Kennedy and pitching 4 1/3 effective innings. He gave up three runs, one of which might have been avoided had Brian Bruney not allowed four of the first five batters he faced to reach base.

And the offense gave Rasner plenty of backing. Alex Rodriguez homered, as did Xavier Nady. Robinson Cano tripled and scored, and Jason Giambi drew a bases-loaded walk. The Yankees produced an incessant attack against Angels starter Jered Weaver, in fact, scoring five times off him and rallying almost every inning.

But it wasn't enough. Bruney's outing undid everything the Yankees had accomplished, turning a one-run hole into a five-run canyon. And Reggie Willits nearly bowled Bruney over attempting to score on a wild pitch, prompting fears of a concussion.

Medically, his head was fine. Psychologically, it was not.

"The way I pitched, I've got a concussion," Bruney said.

Girardi's ears might be ringing too, considering how often he heard the Angels crack hits against Kennedy on Friday. But in some corner of his mind, he must have prepared for this. Though Kennedy had enjoyed plenty of success at Triple-A, he would not have flown to Anaheim if Joba Chamberlain had never been injured.

Due to an unforeseen series of circumstances, the Yankees currently boast a rotation that includes Kennedy, Dan Giese and Sidney Ponson. Those are hardly household names on a roster that's always been fond of star power.

So Chamberlain's injury, which forced Kennedy into the rotation, could just be the knockout blow for the Yankees this summer. Not that it's certain -- Kennedy might return to his Triple-A form, the Yankees might catch the Red Sox or Rays, and Yankee Stadium might still see a few more October games.

But if none of that happens, then the Yankees will know precisely what went wrong. Friday gave them a glimpse of a playoff-caliber team.

Now, the Yankees must prove that they can be just as good.

"The Angels are the best team in baseball," Kennedy said, comparing them to the clubs he saw in the Minors. "Their offense is hot right now. It's a big difference. But when you go out there, you still have to compete."