ANAHEIM, Calif. — The ski masks and caps with earflaps stayed behind in New York. The accessory of choice for Game 3 of the American League Championship Series might be sunglasses.

Partly sunny skies and 69-degree temperatures are expected at game time for today's matinee at Angel Stadium, a dramatic departure from the raw conditions prevalent during the first two games at Yankee Stadium.

The Los Angeles Angels hope the return home will help them rebound from a 2-0 deficit against the New York Yankees.

"You could look at some guys and they were freezing," Angels outfielder Torii Hunter said of Saturday night's 4-3 loss in 13 innings, a game that began in 47-degree temperature and ended under persistent rain. "It probably affected some guys, but you can't use that as an excuse. You have to know the other team is cold, too."

Neither second baseman Maicer Izturis, whose 13th-inning error allowed the winning run to score, nor teammates blamed the weather for their uncharacteristically sloppy play. The Angels have committed five errors, resulting in three unearned runs, and they gave the Yankees another on a botched pop-up.

A dry field might benefit the Angels' running attack, which has been limited to one stolen base. Nevertheless, even Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain, a native of Nebraska, greeted the warmer conditions.

"I could take this all the time," Chamberlain said during a brief workout yesterday. "I really don't mind this at all."

ELSEWHERE

No ordinary Joe: Joe Blanton might always be remembered in Philadelphia's postseason history for his bat instead of his arm.

The pudgy right-hander will start Game 4 of the NL championship series today, his first one of the playoffs after being shuttled to the bullpen for the opening round.

That should give Blanton a chance to hit. Blanton stunned everyone in the park last year when he homered in the World Series off Tampa Bay's Edwin Jackson. It was just the 15th home run by a pitcher in the Series, and the first since Oakland's Ken Holtzman in 1974. No NL pitcher had homered since the Cardinals' Bob Gibson in 1968.

Oh, and he earned the win in that Game 4.

Blanton said more fans want to talk about the homer than his pitching.

"When I think back, I really just think about all the adrenaline I had after I did it," Blanton said. "I enjoyed it, but almost didn't get to because I was so worried about trying to bring myself back down to pitch and not letting myself get out of rhythm."

Blanton didn't get the ball back, but his bat was on display at the Hall of Fame.

Everyone in: When Jerry Hairston Jr. got the nod from Yankees manager Joe Girardi to pinch hit leading off the 13th inning of Game 2, he was not only getting the first postseason at-bat of his career he was helping New York set a record.

The Yankees used 21 players in their 4-3 win on Saturday night, a league championship series mark for an extra-inning game. The Oakland Athletics used 20 on Oct. 20, 1972, in a 10-inning loss to the Detroit Tigers. The only position player left on the Yankees bench was third-string catcher Francisco Cervelli.

Hairston had to wait nearly five hours on a cold, wet night, but he was ready with only about a half-inning of notice.

"We just try to stay ready and stay loose and if our name's called just try to make good on it," Hairston said. "The facilities we got here, it's pretty easy to stay warm."