By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif.(AP) -- Ian Kennedy's 20 friends and family members
could scarcely stand to watch while the New York reliever's
first appearance in over a year went from an inspiration to a
budding nightmare.

Thanks to a bases-loaded fly ball, Kennedy and the Yankees could
enjoy a much-needed series victory that sent them into a big
weekend series with plenty of momentum.

A.J. Burnett struck out 11 in just his second win since July,
and New York won a series at Anaheim for the first time since
May 2004 with a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on
Wednesday.

In his first major league appearance since surgery to remove an
aneurysm below his right biceps, Kennedy walked two batters and
hit another in the eighth before escaping on Erick Aybar's fly.
His misadventures and ultimate redemption were the wildest
portion of six New York pitchers' efforts to hold down Los
Angeles' offense.

"Just to be pitching is an accomplishment," said Kennedy, a Long
Beach, Calif., native and former USC star. "And then to be
pitching here, and in a big situation, there are no words to
describe it. It got a little crazy, but I was glad it worked out
barely. These are big, important wins for us."

The Yankees, eliminated by the Angels in the first round of the
playoffs in 2002 and 2005, lost 18 of their last 23 games in
Anaheim before winning back-to-back games in less than 24 hours.
The Yankees also won a series for the first time since sweeping
Tampa Bay in early September, moving back to a season-high 41
games above .500 (97-56).

"You need every one, but obviously going to the playoffs, you
want to feel good about yourself," Burnett said. "These two
teams battle each other. That lineup they have makes you work.
It's a good series, and good for our confidence if we match up
with them later on."

On Tuesday night, New York became the first major league team to
clinch a playoff berth. If the Red Sox lose Thursday, New York
would clinch the AL East title by winning two of three in a
weekend home series with Boston.

Robinson Cano hit a two-run single and Melky Cabrera followed
with an RBI double in the fourth inning for all of New York's
offense. Burnett, Kennedy and the rest of the bullpen barely
hung on.

"We told (Kennedy), you're the guy we want out here right now,"
Girardi said. "Go out and get the job done, and that's what he
did."

Gary Matthews Jr. and Bobby Abreu drove in runs for the Angels,
who didn't help their faint hopes of catching New York for the
majors' best record. With another day of abnormally poor
situational hitting, Los Angeles dropped 6 1/2 games behind the
Yankees with three losses to New York in the last 10 days,
including a makeup game at Yankee Stadium last week.

The Angels struck out a season-high 15 times while going 0 for
10 with runners in scoring position. Typically a model of
small-ball opportunism, Los Angeles stranded 25 runners in the
last two games.

"Hitting with runners in scoring position is something that's
really got us this last month," manager Mike Scioscia said. "We
went from a team that was setting the table, putting the ball in
play, getting our share of hits with guys in scoring position
and scoring runs, to a team that's really been down near the
bottom this month. It's the same cast of characters, but some
guys are obviously struggling with some things and not squaring
balls up as well as they can."

Mariano Rivera gave up a leadoff single to Abreu but finished
the ninth for his 42nd save in 44 chances, moving two behind the
Angels' Brian Fuentes for the major league lead.

Burnett (12-9) didn't make it out of the sixth inning, allowing
seven hits and three walks, but his strikeout total was one shy
of his season high. Gearing for a start in Game 2 of the
playoffs, he is 2-5 with a 5.40 ERA in 11 starts since the
beginning of August.

Scott Kazmir (9-9) made another solid start for the Angels, but
failed to win for the fourth time in five outings with his new
club, which has given him just eight total runs of support. The
left-hander yielded six hits and three walks over six innings,
but allowed five straight Yankees to reach base in the decisive
fourth.

Mark Teixeira started New York's rally with a one-out double,
but Juan Rivera threw him out at the plate from left field on
Shelley Duncan's sharp single to right. Cano then drove home
Hideki Matsui and Duncan, and Cabrera added another double.

"I just felt like there were situations where I needed a certain
pitch in a certain location, but I just didn't have it, and it
cost us the game," Kazmir said. "I had Cano (with) two strikes
and was looking to expand the zone a little bit with the
fastball, but it kind of stayed middle-in and he got the hit."

NOTES: Angels 1B Kendry Morales struck out four times. ...
Yankees C Jorge Posada sat out after X-rays came back negative
on his bruised right foot. Girardi isn't sure he'll play Friday
against Boston. ... Kennedy went 1-4 with a 6.14 ERA in 13 games
with the Yankees from 2007-08, including 12 starts, but last
pitched for New York on Aug. 8, 2008, also at Los Angeles.