There’s little comical about Angels’ relief

NEW YORK —  There is no other way to put it. The Angels bullpen, dominant during the team’s 2002 World Series run and a force on each of the four division-winning clubs since 2004, is a mess right now.

The latest meltdown came Friday night, when a trio of Angels relievers, including closer Brian Fuentes, blew a five-run eighth-inning lead in a 10-9 loss to the New York Yankees.

Jorge Posada hit a bases-loaded, two-run single off Fuentes, who retired none of the four batters he faced, and those who remained in soggy Yankee Stadium were rewarded with a walk-off victory.

The Angels bullpen, expected to be a strength again in 2009, has now combined for a 1-8 record and a major league-worst 7.69 earned-run average.

Fuentes has a 7.88 ERA in nine games. Jose Arredondo, often untouchable during a 2008 season in which he went 10-2 with a 1.62 ERA, has a 6.75 ERA in 12 games after giving up two runs and three hits in the Yankees’ four-run eighth Friday. Veteran setup man Scot Shields, who didn’t pitch Friday, has an 8.64 ERA in 11 games

And they were supposed to be the Angels’ top three relievers.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, where this many guys struggle at one time,” Fuentes said. “Usually, one guy struggles a bit, someone is there to pick him up until he gets right.

“The bullpen, as a whole right now, is not executing pitches, falling behind, and giving up too many hits. . . . Each guy has to worry about himself, get himself better, then we’ll pick each other up and keep encouraging each other. We have to get ourselves right.”

Wasted was a solid effort by starting pitcher Jered Weaver, who survived a rocky, four-run first inning to blank the Yankees on two hits from the second through the sixth, and a 13-hit attack that featured three hits and four runs batted in by Gary Matthews Jr.

Jeff Mathis sparked a six-run sixth inning with a two-out, two-run single off starter Andy Pettitte, and Matthews greeted reliever Mark Melancon with a three-run triple to right-center, as the Angels turned a 4-0 deficit into a 6-4 lead.

The Angels scored three runs in the seventh on Maicer Izturis’ RBI single, Mathis’ suicide squeeze and Matthews’ sacrifice fly.

But after throwing a scoreless seventh, Angels right-hander Rafael Rodriguez gave up a one-out double to Robinson Cano and walked Posada in the eighth.

On came Arredondo, who threw first-pitch balls to four of five batters, which made it tough for the right-hander to set up his split-fingered fastball.

Brett Gardner singled, Melky Cabrera hit an RBI single, and Ramiro Pena hit a two-run single before Derek Jeter grounded out, scoring a run to pull the Yankees to within 9-8, and Johnny Damon struck out.

Fuentes threw first-pitch balls to three of four batters in the ninth, making it difficult for the left-hander to use his secondary pitches.

He walked Mark Teixeira, gave up singles to Hideki Matsui and Cano to load the bases and Posada’s game-winner.

“It was a good win for us, because Anaheim, throughout the years, has been known for their pitching and their bullpen,” Jeter said. “When they get a lead, most of the time it’s over with.”

This season, when the Angels get a lead, their fans want to cover their eyes.

“We’re obviously not getting it done,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “There’s not a lot to juggle. We just need to go out there and make pitches, and too many guys aren’t able to do that right now.”

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mike.digiovanna@latimes.com