Orlando Cabrera led off the sixth inning with a grounder to Rodriguez that glanced off his glove for an error. It set up an unearned run that tied the score at 2-2, changing the complexion of a game the Yankees had in their control.

"It was as routine a play as you can get and it just didn't happen," Rodriguez said. "When I looked down I couldn't believe the ball wasn't there. It was just a simple mistake, a simple hop, just a real bad play."

It was his first error in 28 career postseason games, though he played 15 of those at shortstop for Seattle earlier in his career.

After starter Chien-Ming Wang retired the next two hitters, with Cabrera advancing into scoring position on a grounder, Bengie Molina ripped an RBI single to center. After Molina's hit, Rodriguez stood at third with his hands on his hips and glared into the outfield. At the same time, the Rally Monkey made his first appearance on the scoreboard and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre came to the mound to calm Wang.

Wang quickly got out of the inning with a ground ball, but the damage had been done. The Angels scored two more runs in the seventh inning to take the lead, helped by Wang's throwing error.

When A-Rod was thrown out stealing in the Yankee half of the seventh, some Angel fans derisively chanted, "MVP, MVP" at Rodriguez as he was dusting himself off following his slide.

It has been a strange series for Rodriguez. In the opener, he was 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a double play and was also drilled in the back by Bartolo Colon. Last night, the Angels seemed afraid to pitch to him - he grounded out in his first and last at-bats, but walked in his middle three plate appearances.

The Yankees were one of only six AL clubs to make fewer than 100 errors this season, but they were spotty last night. Rodriguez, Wang and Robinson Cano made errors. Cano, who was shaky defensively in the ninth inning of Game 1, dropped a flip from Derek Jeter in the second, but that gaffe ultimately didn't cost the Yanks.

Rodriguez, who owns two Gold Gloves at shortstop, could win another Gold Glove this year in only his second year at third. After a rough start in which he already had seven errors by late May, Rodriguez made only five the rest of the season.

However, his one playoff error hurt.