Posada powers Yankees past Angels

Jorge Posada went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored as the New York Yankees avoided a three-game sweep with an 8-2 win over the LA Angels of Anaheim.

Robinson Cano had three hits, two RBI and a run scored, and Bobby Abreu went 2-for-5 with a home run and two runs scored for the Yankees, who have won four of six.

Andy Pettitte (11-7) got the win as he gave up just one run on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts in seven innings of work for New York, which trails Seattle by 1 1/2 games for the AL wild card spot and Boston by five games for first place in the AL East.

"My command was good and my two-seamer was there," said Pettitte. "I was showing guys different looks tonight. I feel I'm in a good rhythm."

The win was No. 1,150 for Yankees manager Joe Torre, who now sits alone in second  place all-time amongst Yankees managers. He just passed Casey Stengel. Joe McCarthy, with 1,460 wins, has the most wins for New York managers.

"This is the biggest win for me because Casey is in my lifetime," said Torre. "I got to know him when he was a player and he knew what this manager thing was all about."

Orlando Cabrera hit a solo home run and Maicer Izturis drove in the other run for the Angels, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. John Lackey (15-8) got the loss as he gave up four runs on 10 hits in seven-plus innings of work.

New York broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh with a pair of runs. Posada led off with a walk and raced to third on a single from Cano. After Wilson Betemit lined out, Melky Cabrera singled to right to score Posada. Derek Jeter later singled to score Cano for a 3-1 lead.

The Yankees further padded their lead in the eighth. Abreu led off the inning with a shot just barely over the center-field wall. Alex Rodriguez followed with a walk and moved to third on a Hideki Matsui double. Posada's double then plated Rodriguez and Matsui while Cabrera's single later in the inning scored Posada for a 7-1 lead.

Cano's RBI single in the ninth that scored Abreu gave the Yankees an 8-1 lead.

Izturis' RBI single in the ninth scored Howie Kendrick to account for the final score.

The Yankees grabbed the lead in the fourth. Rodriguez worked a one-out walk and, after Matsui flied out, moved to third on Posada's double. Cano followed with an infield single to plate Rodriguez for a 1-0 lead.

Cabrera briefly tied the game in the sixth when he hit a one-out, solo shot into the left-field stands, his eighth homer of the year.