The New York Yankees took full advantage of some slack work by the Los Angeles Angels to ease to a 4-1 win in the opening game of the American League Championship Series.
The chilly conditions at Yankee Stadium seemed to work against the Angels who made three crucial errors to gift the hosts the upper hand in the best-of-seven series.
CC Sabathia frustrated the Angels to an even greater degree than the wintry conditions, the Yankees starter putting in a sterling ef! fort across eight innings that resulted in just four hits and a run.
The only blot on Sabathia copy book came in the fourth inning when Vladimir Guerrero hit a deep drive to left-centre field to make second base. Kendry Morales then connected for a two-out hit to score Guerrero.
New York wasted no time in jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first.
Derek Jeter moved onto third base after Johnny Damon's single. A throwing error by left fielder Juan Rivera allowed Damon to advance before Alex Rodriguez's sacrifice fly scored Jeter.
Hideki Matsui's pop-up then inexplicably fell harmlessly between Angels' third baseman Chone Figgins and shortstop Erick Aybar, which allowed Damon to score.
Damon began the fifth with a double before coming home on Matsui's hit to left, while Jeter hit a run-scoring single in the sixth after more help from the Angels fielders, this time Torii Hunter allowing the ball to sneak past.
The ALCS stays in New York f! or Game Two on Saturday night.
