"Perhaps Robinson Cano should have been credited with the save in Thursday's win instead of Mariano Rivera .

Cano's seventh-inning grand slam gave the Yankees a four-run lead, which turned out to be just enough insurance after Rivera served up a three-run homer in the ninth that brought the Angels within a run.

Rivera recorded the final two outs for the save in the 6-5 win, but the closer was frustrated after his third straight shaky performance.

BOX SCORE: YANKEES 6, ANGELS 5

"I'm not surprised; those things are going to happen," said Rivera, who allowed home runs in consecutive games for just the fourth time in his career. "It depends how you react after those things. Whatever happens, happens. You still have to get two outs. If you melt down there, you're not going to be able to do your job."

Cano's grand slam came after a rare mistake by the Angels, as second baseman Maicer Izturis committed an error with two outs in the seventh, loading the bases. Cano fouled off the first pitch he saw from Scott Downs , then drilled the next offering off the facing of the second deck in right field.

"It's a great feeling," Cano said. "They made a mistake and we made them pay."

Bartolo Colon took a no-decision after six innings of two-run ball, his lone mistake a two-run homer by Alberto Callaspo in the fifth.

Curtis Granderson tied the game in the sixth with a two-run homer, his 32nd. Rafael Soriano (2-1) pitched a scoreless seventh, picking up the win after Cano's homer put the Yankees in the lead for good.

The Yankees took two of three from the Angels, stretching their lead in the wild-card race to eight games.

"It's a big lift for us, because this is one of the teams we're competing against for a playoff spot," Joe Girardi said. "That extra out cost them the game. They don't make many mistakes, and Robbie Cano really took advantage of it.""