NEW YORK -- Orlando Hernandez rarely had a problem getting through five innings as a postseason starter.

	Hernandez

His fifth inning of relief did him in Wednesday night, costing the New York Yankees Game 2 of the AL division series against the Anaheim Angels.

After pitching four scoreless innings in relief of an ineffective Andy Pettitte, Hernandez gave up consecutive homers to Garret Anderson and Troy Glaus to begin the eighth as the Angels won 8-6 to even the series at one game apiece.

"I'm happy with my performance. Unfortunately, I was not able to hold onto the lead," Hernandez said through an interpreter. "Two pitches I threw cost the team the game."

	All tied up
	How the Yankees have eventually done in playoff series dating back to 1996 when the series was initially tied at 1-1:
	Year	Series	Opp.	Result
	1996	ALDS	Tex.	Won, 3-1
	1996	ALCS	Bal.	Won, 4-1
	1997	ALDS	Cle.	Lost, 3-2
	1998	ALCS	Cle.	Won, 4-2
	2000	ALDS	Oak.	Won, 3-2
	2000	ALCS	Sea.	Won, 4-2

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the first time the Yankees lost a postseason game at home when leading after seven innings.

Yankees manager Joe Torre will be the one second-guessed this time, for his decision to stick with Hernandez instead of turning the game over to setup men Steve Karsay and Mike Stanton.

"They asked me how I felt, and I felt fine," Hernandez said.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia was criticized for leaving closer Troy Percival in the bullpen during New York's game-winning rally in the eighth inning of the opener.

El Duque, a postseason star the past few years as a starter, retired 12 of his first 13 batters while the Yankees rallied from a three-run deficit to take a 5-4 lead.

New York has five pitchers who have started Game 1 of a series, and Hernandez was the odd man out of the rotation this time despite a 9-2 record and 2.48 career ERA in the postseason before the Game 2 loss.

After Hernandez threw a first-pitch strike to open the eighth inning, Anderson hit a drive into the bleachers in right-center to tie it at 5.

Torre stuck with Hernandez against the right-handed hitting Glaus, who drove a 3-1 pitch to center just over the outstretched glove of Bernie Williams as the ball cleared the fence.

"Any time a pitcher is cruising like he is, sure, you're always surprised," Torre said.

Hernandez kicked at the mound dejectedly, knowing he hadn't completed the job the Yankees needed.

"What occurred, occurred," Hernandez said. "Things do not always happen the way you want them. It was just two swings in baseball. They just happened to hit home runs on them."

The Angels added an insurance run off Karsay and Stanton in the eighth inning, and another against Jeff Weaver in the ninth.