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Angels Edge Bombers 4-2


Tim Belcher thought he might have given up a game-tying, two-run homer. Instead, he got two big outs on the same play.

Belcher pitched eight strong innings and Reggie Williams made a spectacular and controversial catch as the Anaheim Angels snapped a six-game losing streak with a 4-2 victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday.

"All year we've been getting bad breaks," Williams said. "Why can't we get a good break? We deserve it."

With the Yankees trailing 3-1 and a runner on first in the eighth, Chuck Knoblauch hit a deep drive to right that appeared to hit the wall above Williams' glove. Williams juggled the ricochet, caught it in his bare hand and threw to first to double up Jorge Posada.

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  • "I thought it had a good chance to go out," Belcher said.

    Television replays showed the ball hitting the fence behind Williams' glove.

    "I didn't get a real good look at it," Yankees manager Joe Torre said.

    "It was a tremendous play by Reggie just to keep his balance and catch the ball," Anaheim manager Terry Collins said.

    Belcher (5-6) gave up one run, five hits and one walk to stop Anaheim's longest skid since last July. Belcher won for the second time in three starts and beat the Yankees for just the third time in 10 career decisions.

    Troy Percival set an Angels record with his 127th career save, 19th this season. But he allowed his first run ever against the Yankees, after limiting them to four hits in 21 1-3 innings.

    "I think I started the fire today," said Percival, who needed 34 pitches to get out of the ninth.

    In his first outing since last Sunday, Percival walked Bernie Williams leading off and then allowed singles to Derek Jeter and Tino Martinez to make it 4-2.

    One out later, Percival walked Chili Davis, loading the bases. Scott Brosius worked a full count before grounding into a double play to end the game.

    David Cone (7-3), who allowed seven hits in eight innings, lost for the first time in six starts since May 18.

    Anaheim has won four of six in New York this season to take the seaso series at Yankee Stadium for the first time since 1991.

    Matt Luke, called up from Triple-A Edmonton on Wednesday, gave the Angels a 2-0 lead in the second with his first AL homer. He had 12 homers with Los Angeles last season.

    "I don't think there's anything special about winning here," Luke said. "It's been awhile. It's my seventh day here and it's our first win."

    Williams hit his 10th homer, and second in two days, in the third for New York to make it 2-1.

    Darin Erstad drove in two runs for Anaheim, including an RBI single off Mariano Rivera in the ninth. Rivera had not allowed a run in his previous 15 1-3 innings.

    The Angels have scored more than four runs just twice in their last 25 games.

    New York's Paul O'Neill was injured near the on-deck circle when Martinez's bat broke and hit O'Neill in the knee in the seventh inning. O'Neill stayed in the game and singled but was replaced defensively by Tony Tarasco in the eighth.

    Notes:

  • Garret Anderson is 4-for-10 since snapping an 0-for-30 slump Friday.
  • Luke was a Yankees farm hand for six seasons before being claimed off waivers by Los Angeles Sept. 25, 1997. His one appearance as a Yankee came opening day 1996.
  • Percival has eight career saves against the Yankees. He has saved all four Anaheim victories over New York this season.
  • Percival surpassed Bryan Harvey as the Angels career save leader.
  • Anaheim last lost seven straight Sept. 9-17, 1996.
  • Derek Jeter singled in the first inning to reach base safely for the 66th time in the 67 games.
  • Attendance was a sellout 55,626 at the 35th annual Yankees bat day.

    ©1999 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

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