New York ? Having watched how comebacks are created in the Bronx, the Anaheim Angels put together one of their own.

Garret Anderson hit a tying home run off Orlando Hernandez in the eighth inning, Troy Glaus followed with a go-ahead shot and the Angels evened their best-of-five AL playoff series by beating the New York Yankees 8-6 in Game 2 Wednesday night.

“I know crazy things happen here,” said Troy Percival, who escaped jams in the eighth and ninth innings, “but not tonight.”

After the Yankees had clawed back from a 4-0 deficit to take a 5-4 lead, the crowd was stunned. It was the first time New York has ever lost a postseason game at Yankee Stadium when leading after the seventh inning, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“We do what it takes to win, no matter the circumstances, no matter whatever,” Glaus said.

A night after failing to bring in Percival in the eighth and watching his bullpen squander a lead in the opener, Angels manager Mike Scioscia called for his closer with Anaheim trying to protect a 7-5 edge in the eighth.

Percival got out of the jam, throwing a called third strike past Derek Jeter, who questioned the call, with the bases loaded.

The Yankees tried for one more comeback in the bottom of the ninth, with Jorge Posada blooping an RBI single with one out. But with two runners on, Percival struck out Nick Johnson and retired Raul Mondesi on a popup.

Anaheim's Garret Anderson scores on teammate Scott Spiezio's single as Yankees catcher Jorge Posada (20) awaits the throw during Wednesday's game in New York.

The series resumes Friday with the Angels’ Ramon Ortiz facing Mike Mussina.

“We really feel we’re in this series,” Scioscia said. “We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us. We’ve got to go out there and continue to press these guys.”

Early homers by Tim Salmon and Spiezio helped Anaheim put together a 4-0 lead and knock out Andy Pettitte after three innings.

But the Yankees closed to 4-3 against Kevin Appier and went ahead when Alfonso Soriano finally got that elusive 40th homer a two-run shot in the sixth off Francisco Rodriguez, a 20-year-old right-hander who made his major-league debut on Sept. 18.

El Duque, relegated to the bullpen because of the Yankees’ pitching depth, replaced Pettitte in the fourth and showed the poise under pressure he’s known for in the postseason, where he was 9-2.

He retired his first 11 batters and 12 of 13, but Anderson tied it when he led off the eighth with a drive into the right-field bleachers.

Rodriguez got the win for Anaheim, which allowed runners all night, but Yankees’ batters to 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position.

Anaheim stopped a four-game postseason losing streak.