ANAHEIM, Calif. - Through five innings Tuesday night Ivan Nova frustrated the Angels, giving them plenty of opportunities then yanking them away.
But two big swings by Albert Pujols and Erick Aybar in the sixth changed everything, the back-to-back homers sending the Yankees to a third straight loss, this one a 2-1 setback in front of 42,036 at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
It was the third straight game in which the Yankees (41-37), who managed just two hits, and none after the third inning, scored one run.
They may have also lost, though the extent of the injury wasn't clear, rightfielder Carlos Beltran, who appeared to hurt himself on a swing during an at-bat in the fifth, replaced a half-inning later in right by Garrett Jones.