Despite scoring six times in the top of the ninth, the Los Angeles Angels (28-27) could not overcome a big deficit, and the New York Yankees (30-25) barely held on to win 8-7 Friday night in Yankee Stadium.

The Angels began the ninth down 8-1 and got two lead-off hits. Grant Green, Kole Calhoun, and David Freese all followed with run-scoring singles. Freese's hit brought in two to pull the Angels to within three. Green's was a routine pop-up that fell between second baseman Jose Pirela and first baseman Chase Headley (video), who were within a few feet of each other, to load the bases. Both assumed the other would make the play. 

The Angels scored two more on a bases-loaded walk to Chris Ianetta and a force out from Johnny Giavotella before pinch hitter Carlos Perez struck out with the tying run on third to end the game.

New York scored the first five runs of the game on Stephen Drew's two-run home run (6) in the bottom of the second, Mark Teixeira's two-run shot (17) in the third, and Alex Rodriguez's RBI single in the fifth.

With that hit, Rodriguez, AKA "A-Rod," passed Barry Bonds for second place on the all-time RBI list with 1,997. He is exactly 300 behind Hank Aaron for the top position. With just over 2 1/2 years left on his contract, it is a very much long shot for the 40-year-old but possible; A-Rod would have to average 100 RBI per year from this point on to catch Aaron.

Rodriguez was 4 for 5 on the night and is now only nine hits away from 3,000 for his career.

After Kirk Nieuwenhuis got Los Angeles on the board with a run-scoring groundout, the Yankees extended their lead to 8-1 with Didi Gregorius's sacrifice fly and Drew's second home run of the game (7) in the sixth and Chris Young's RBI single in the seventh. Young's RBI seemed meaningless at the time, but it turned out the difference in the game and provided evidence that a team cannot have too many runs.

Nathan Eovaldi (W: 5-1, 4.16 ERA) had his solid performance nearly wiped out. He pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing only one run on four hits while walking four and fanning four. He left with a 5-0 lead and a man on, who scored off the bullpen. Esmil Rogers was charged with five runs on four hits in the ninth as Dellin Betances (S: 2) could not keep them from scoring. Three of those runs scored with Betances pitching before Perez struck out.

Jered Weaver (L: 4-5, 4.60) allowed seven earned runs on nine hits, three of them home runs, in 5 2/3 innings. He walked none and struck out three.

On Saturday, Garrett Richards (5-3, 3.26) will take the mound for the Angels, and Adam Warren (3-4, 3.55) pitches for the Yankees. The game begins at 7:15 p.m. EDT.