Live-blogging the ALCS: Game 1 (Continued)

A continuation of tonight's Yankees live-blog (see post below):

Yankees win 4-1. Lead ALCS 1-0.

Update 11:23: One down and three to go for the Yanks. Sabathia answered his critics (including a certain Bronx News Network writer) who said he couldn't pitch in the cold, in pitching eight innings of one run ball. Damon finally got a couple of hits and the Angels showed up with some surprisingly ugly defense.

Tomorrow's game starts at 7:57 p.m. again, unless of course, it rains.

Update 11:12: Here we go, top of the ninth and Mariano Rivera is heading in. With a 1.257 whip lifetime against the Angels, this team is one of Rivera's toughest matchups.

Update 10:59: You win this round Joe Girardi. C.C. stays in for the eighth inning, and turns in yet another three-up three-down inning. Bottom of the eighth — the Yankees look to add more runs onto their lead.

Update 10:45: As we head into the eighth inning, with the Yankees still up 4-1. It makes little sense that Girardi is sticking with Sabathia. No one in the bullpen has pitched since Sunday, and the Yankees get a day off after tomorrow's game.

Update 10:25: C.C. Sabathia has thrown seven very impressive innings, and the Yankees lead 4-1. Will Joe Girardi stick with the Big Guy for another inning? I would take him out — the bullpen is fresh and C.C. will be needed in Game 4.

Update 10:20: Robinson Cano may have preserved Sabathia's night with a brilliant diving stop. Cano was 7th in the majors in zone rating this year.

Update 10:05: The Yankees take a 4-1 lead, and the Angels now have three errors (and a misplayed infield pop-up). The Angels defense has been sloppier than a Lindsay Lohan birthday party.

Now we'll see if their bullpen can hold the Yankees through 3+ innings.

Update 9:54: As Mike Scioscia, the Angels manager returns to the dugout following a heated argument with the first base umpire, the atmosphere out there has suddenly gotten testy. The umpires have mad some shoddy calls this postseason, but so far they have been right on every close play tonight.

Update 9:46: Godzilla has attacked Anaheim, and the Yankees lead 3-1. But Jeff "Mothra" Mathis held A-ROD at bay in a classic home-plate collision. Ok ok, big mistake by Rodriguez there. The third base coach has basically one job, and that's to know whether or not the runner should keep running or stop. Rodriguez was told to stop, and he ran. If the Yankees win, that running blunder is forgotten. If they lose.....

Nonetheless, Matsui delivers an RBI, and the Yankees are ahead by two.

Update 9:36: Up by one run (2-1) in the bottom of the fifth, Damon leads off with a loud double. Teixeira, A-ROD and Matsui follow. If the Yankees don't break this game open now, they deserve to be amongst Mets fans.