K-Rod improves to 5-0 in postseason

K-Rod has struck out 19 batters in 13 postseason innings. AP

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Francisco Rodriguez wasn't even a big-leaguer until five weeks ago.

Now, he's joined Randy Johnson as the winningest pitcher in postseason history.

Rodriguez, the 20-year-old Venezuelan with the electric right arm, pitched three perfect innings Sunday and earned the victory as the Anaheim Angels beat the San Francisco Giants 11-10 to even the World Series.

"I had pretty good command on both sides of the plate with my fastball and my slider," said Rodriguez, who became the youngest pitcher ever to win a World Series game. "My manager asked me if I could go three innings. I said 'Yes.'

"This is the best moment of my life."

The win in Game 2 was the fifth of the postseason for Rodriguez, equaling the record Johnson set last year when the Arizona Diamondbacks won the Series.

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Johnson has been around for years -- a sure Hall of Famer.

For Rodriguez, it's been barely a month.

"It's something incredible, my dream come true," Rodriguez said. "If I'm dreaming, I don't want to wake up. God gave me a gift, I don't know how to explain it."

Rodriguez said he had no idea he equaled Johnson's record.

"I feel really excited about it, happy about it," he said. "I got the win, it's incredible. I wanted one win -- now I've got five."

When asked if he was surprised, Rodriguez smiled and said: "Of course, man. Think about it -- a rookie, 20 years old."

Rodriguez became the winner when Tim Salmon hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to snap a 9-9 tie.

Troy Percival pitched the ninth for his fifth postseason save, allowing a long solo homer to Barry Bonds but nothing else.

"He even outdid himself today," Percival said of Rodriguez. "Three perfect innings -- he was outstanding."

Rodriguez used 26 pitches -- all but four of them strikes including the first 12.

He struck out four including Rich Aurilia and Jeff Kent, the first two batters he faced, on three pitches each.

Barry Bonds then grounded the first pitch from Rodriguez to first to finish the sixth.

"Barry Bonds is one of the best players I've ever seen in my life," Rodriguez said. "He's human, not a machine. If you make the right pitches, keep the ball down, you can get him out."

Rodriguez later struck out Benito Santiago and Reggie Sanders on three pitches each.

Once again, as he did against the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins earlier in the postseason, Rodriguez mixed his 95 mph fastball with a nasty, late-breaking slider that freezes hitters.

The Giants generally looked helpless against him.

"He's what's advertised, he's really good," said San Francisco's Shawon Dunston, who popped out in his only at-bat against Rodriguez. "I know he's 20, he doesn't act like it.

"We've seen him on TV, we're all fans, we've talked about him. He's arguably the best setup man in baseball right now, no disrespect to anybody. He just mowed us down. Hopefully we'll get him next time."

Rodriguez, who didn't become a reliever until last spring, was called up by the Angels on Sept. 15 and made his big-league debut three days later.

He struck out eight straight batters from Sept. 18-25 to equal a franchise record.

He pitched 5 2/3 innings in the regular season, allowing two hits and no runs while walking two and striking out 13.

He has pitched 13 innings in the postseason, giving up four hits and two runs while walking four and striking out 19.

His regular-season record: 0-0. His postseason mark: 5-0.

And this is a pitcher who pitched for Rancho Cucamonga of the Class A California League in 2001, going 5-7 with a 5.38 ERA while appearing in 20 games -- all starts.

Already known as "K-Rod" and the "Secret Weapon," Rodriguez could also be called the "Good Luck Charm."

He has pitched in eight of the Angels' 11 postseason games and has been the winner in five of their eight victories -- two against the Yankees, two against the Twins and now one against the Giants.

 

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