Let's go back to the Bronx (Angels 7, Yanks 6. Yankees lead ALCS 3-2)

Take a deep breath, folks.

We're going back to the Bronx. We all knew this was going to be an extremely volatile series, with massive swings, runs scored in bunches, and defiance after defiance of predictions. We all knew it would be a war. So that's what we got. A war.

A.J. Burnett finally imploded in the postseason, and he made it extra memorable because he managed to implode twice in one game. To begin the day he gave up 4 runs on his first 13 pitches. That's not a "struggle to warm up" or "a slip" or whatever catchphrase you want to use to absolve someone of responsibility. It was A.J. having emotional problems on the mound, that's all it was.

Once he'd "settled down" (aka relieved himself of having to pitch under pressure by tanking immediately and totally, thus lowering expectations and relaxing him), he pitched 5 brilliant innings (6 if you count the 1st inning after the initial meltdown).

Of course, the Yankees came roaring back on a bases clearing double by Teixeira and a big hit by Cano. But A.J. responded to the pressure of having to keep a small lead by melting down again, as the Angels immediately came back to take a 7-6 lead, one that the Yankees could not overcome with 6 outs left, even though the final out was made on a 3-2 pitch to Nick Swisher with the bases loaded.

So it goes. So the journey continues. So we play another, and this one is huge. That's because if the Yankees don't win, in game 7 they'll probably have to start Sabathia, which would make it certain that Sabathia would only be able to pitch two World Series games. It would also give the Yankees minimal rest before the championship.

But that's baseball. After taking the first 2 at Yankee Stadium, and given the way the Angels are extremely tough at home, the goal should have been to get at least one in Anaheim, and that's what the Yankees did. Just one win for the Bombers in Anaheim means that the Angels need to come back to the Bronx in a 3-2 hole against a healthy, deadly Yankee team.

Let's go Yankees.