This Date in Angels Postseason History: October 19

The Angels have played two postseason games on October 19...

2002 - Game One of the World Series - Angels versus Giants

The Angels opened their first World Series on a late Saturday afternoon at home. It had been a long time coming.

The crowd was frenzied, rocking. Barry Bonds hit a solo homerun off of Angels starter Jarrod Washburn and all the announcers could talk about was the historic nature of Bonds homering in his first World Series Plate Appearance. They kept talking about Bonds when Reggie Sanders homered two batters later. With the score 2-0 in the bottom of the second they kept talking about it when Troy Glaus accomplished the exact same feat, which they didn't really ever mention let alone fawn over.

Washburn gave up a two-run homer in the sixth to former Angel J.T. Snow and it was 4-1 Giants. The 2002 Angels oozed confidence and sure enough, Glaus hit his second homerun of the night to lead off the bottom of the frame and Adam Kennedy had a RBI basehit to make it 4-3.

That was as close as the Angels would come, though, as the bullpens kept a lid on each other. Robb Nen walked Scott Spiezio in the bottom of the ninth with two out and the Rally Monkey was jumping, but long-serving Angels sub Orlando Palmeiro flied out in foul territory and the need for a comeback in terms of games appeared.

2009 - The Angels beat the Yankees 5-4 in 11 innings and trail the Yankees 2 games to 1 in the best of 7 ALCS

This is the Jeff Mathis Game. The Angels catcher compiled a franchise career OPS+ of 52 in over 1300 plate appearances and epitomized the futility of Mike Scioscia's lost years. But on this afternoon in Anaheim, he doubled in Howie Kendrick in the bottom of the eleventh inning to beat the Yankees in front of the home crowd.

Jered Weaver allowed three solo homeruns to three different Yankees. Derek Jeter lead off the game with one, Alex Rodriguez hit one in the fourth and Johnny Damon hit one in the fifth.

Howie Kendrick made it 3-1 with a solo HR off of Andy Pettitte in the bottom of the fifth and Vladimir Guerrero tied the score with a 2-run homer, driving in ex-Yankee Bobby Abreu.

In the seventh inning, Joba Chamberlain gave up a triple to Howie and a sac fly from Maicer Izturis drove in the go ahead run. But Kevin Jepsen was charitable and served up a round-tripper to Jorge Posada in the top of the eighth.

Brian Fuentes pitched a scoreless ninth, Jason Bulger a clean tenth and Ervin Santana a 1-2-3 eleventh. It looked like Ervin would be back there in a hurry after two quick outs to start the bottom of the frame but Joe Girardi brought in Alfredo Aceves to pitch to Howie. Base Hit. Then praying Mathis would do something in his life for once and being rewarded for perhaps the only time. Double off the wall... Howie Scores and jumps higher than the Coors Light billboard in the parking lot to celebrate it.