Anaheim, CA (My Sportsbook) - The Anaheim Angels can win their first postseason series in franchise history this afternoon, when they tangle with the New York Yankees at Edison International Field in the fourth contest of a best-of-five American League Division Series.

The Angels have not been in the postseason since 1986, when they lost in seven games to the Boston Red Sox. Their only other two postseason appearances were against Milwaukee in 1982 and Baltimore in 1979.

Friday, the Halos moved a step closer to winning their first playoff series with a 9-6, come-from-behind victory. Darin Erstad doubled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and Tim Salmon followed with a two-run homer, leading Anaheim to a second consecutive win and a one-game lead in the series.

The Angels, who overcame a five-run deficit, have rallied late to win each of the last two games after blowing a late lead in the opener. Adam Kennedy went 3-for-3 with a homer, double and three runs scored, while Salmon finished with four RBI, in the winning effort.

The game was tied at 6-6 when Kennedy started the eighth-inning rally against Mike Stanton with a double that glanced off the glove of New York rightfielder Raul Mondesi. A sacrifice by David Eckstein advanced Kennedy to third and he trotted home with the go-ahead run when Erstad ripped a 1-2 pitch into the right-field corner for a double.

"When you get to two strikes, you're just trying to put the ball in play," said Erstad about his go-ahead hit. "The last thing you want is a strikeout there. I just kind of reacted."

Steve Karsay replaced Stanton and Salmon greeted him with a homer just inside the left-field foul pole.

The rally made a winner of rookie Francisco Rodriguez, who also won Game 2 of the series. The 20-year-old righthander struck out four batters in a perfect two innings of relief. Troy Percival then threw a 1-2-3 ninth against the top of the Yankee batting order to nail down his second save.

Angels starter Ramon Ortiz lasted just 2 2/3 innings and was tagged for six runs on three hits and four walks, but managed to escape with a no-decision.

"It wouldn't have been possible without the job our bullpen did," said Angels manager Mike Scioscia. "If those guys didn't start putting up the zeros when they did, that game would have been put away earlier in the Yankees' favor."

Jason Giambi and Bernie Williams each scored two runs for New York, which had just one hit after the third inning. The Yankees, who bounced back from a 2-0 deficit in last year's Division Series against the Oakland A's, lost a Game 3 in the ALDS for the first time under manager Joe Torre.

"Starting pitching hasn't been as good as we're capable of," explained Torre. "Give the Angels a great deal of credit. We just haven't been able to do our job as well as they have."

Stanton was charged with the loss after surrendering three runs on four hits in 1 2/3 frames. Yankees starter Mike Mussina left the game after four innings because of groin injury. He gave up four runs on six hits with two strikeouts and no walks.

New York will hand the ball to David Wells today. Wells closed the regular season on a hot streak, winning his final four starts and seven of his last eight decisions. In his final outing, he tossed six shutout innings against the Baltimore Orioles and permitted a pair of hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

The veteran lefthander surrendered a total of five runs on 21 hits over 31 innings in his last four regular-season starts to lower his earned run average from 4.16 to 3.75. Wells, who has not lost since September 1, led the Yankees in wins with 19 and was an impressive 11-3 on the road with a 3.69 ERA in 18 attempts.

Lifetime in the postseason, the 39-year-old hurler is 8-1 in 19 appearances. Wells has pitched very well in the ALDS in his career, compiling a 4-0 record with a minuscule 1.95 earned run average in five outings. In Division Series action, he has allowed only 31 hits and nine runs -- eight earned -- over 37 frames. This will be Wells' first postseason appearance since 1998, when he went 4-0 to help the Yankees win the World Series.

For his career, Wells is 16-10 versus Anaheim. He faced the Angels twice in the regular season and was 1-0 with a 6.52 ERA. In his last start against the Halos, on August 22 at Yankee Stadium, Wells twirled 7 2/3 frames and gave up two runs on eight hits to earn the win.

Anaheim will counter with ace Jarrod Washburn, who will be pitching on three days' rest. Washburn started Game 1 of this series on Tuesday, permitting four runs on six hits over seven innings in a no-decision. He walked two, fanned a pair and yielded three home runs, while tossing 81 pitches.

The lefthander established himself as Anaheim's best pitcher during the year, setting career highs in wins (18), ERA (3.15) and innings pitched (206). He was an impressive 13-3 on the road, but only 5-3 at Edison Field.

Pitchers working on short rest have not fared very well in the postseason of late. Aside from Arizona's Curt Schilling, who was magnificent in a pair of World Series starts on three days' rest a year ago, hurlers are just 1-9 with a 9.73 ERA on less-than-normal rest in the postseason since 1999.

That said, Washburn made one start on three days' rest this season and turned in eight scoreless frames of three-hit ball against the A's. He did not factor into the decision, as the Angels won the game in the 10th inning on a home run by Salmon.

For his career, the 28-year-old hurler is 2-1 versus New York. Washburn faced the Yankees once during the regular season, on August 1 at Edison Field, and earned the win with seven innings of four-hit, one-run ball.

The Yankees won the regular-season series between these two teams by a 4-3 margin, although each team won twice in Anaheim. New York went 51-30 on the road this season, tying the Boston Red Sox for the most wins away from home, while the Angels finished 54-27 at Edison Field and were deadlocked with the Minnesota Twins and Oakland A's for the most home victories in the AL.

Should this series go to a fifth and deciding game, the game will take place on Sunday at Yankee Stadium. Roger Clemens (0-0, 6.35) is expected to battle Kevin Appier (0-0, 5.40). Clemens started Game 1 and did not earn a decision after permitting four runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 frames, while Appier was on the hill in the second game and surrendered three runs on five hits over five innings in a no-decision.