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Offense bails out Lackey as Angels top Rangers

Jul 15, 2007 - 6:53 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- John Lackey got off to a rough start but settled down nicely as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim offered up some rare offensive support en route to a 9-5 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

Vladimir Guerrero and rookie Reggie Willits drove in two runs each for the Angels, who managed more than four runs for just the fourth time in their last 14 contests.

Lackey (12-5) tied Boston's Josh Beckett and Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia for the major league lead with his 12th win of the season. The veteran righthander yielded four runs - three earned - and seven hits in six innings while striking out five and issuing one walk.

"Anytime Lackey's on the mound, you know he's going to battle," Willits said. "No matter what the situation he's in, he's going to battle."

The four runs - three of which came in the opening frame - were more than Lackey had surrendered in two previous starts combined against the Rangers this season. But he still was able to notch his third win against the American League West Division rivals.

"All I was thinking was, 'I have to figure out some way to get out of this,'" Lackey said of his first inning. "It felt like I was out there for a while. Sometimes you got to grind and just try to be a little bit better than the other guy."

Justin Speier, Scot Shields and Dustin Moseley combined to close out the Rangers over the final three innings, and the Angels piled on two more runs in the eighth to break open the game.

"To see him come in and strike out three guys was terrific," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of Speier, who struck out the side in the seventh inning in his first appearance since coming off the disabled list Friday.

"Now with Justin back and Scot and leading up to (Francisco Rodriguez), it really brings a lot of depth, and we're going to need every little bit of it."

Texas starter Kameron Loe took the brunt of the damage in a three-run third inning that put Anaheim on top for good. After Orlando Cabrera reached on an error, Loe unleashed a wild pitch before issuing a one-out walk to Gary Matthews Jr.

"It was good to see a lot of good things done on the bases," Scioscia said. "We're starting to score runs the way we need to."

Garret Anderson loaded the bases with a single, and consecutive RBI base hits by Casey Kotchman and Maicer Izturis tied the game at 4-4. Loe struck out Jose Molina before walking Willits to force in the go-ahead run.

"Between Reggie and Chone Figgins, I think they were on base seven or eight times, and that's where we need to go to win ballgames," Scioscia said.

Loe (5-7) lasted just 2 2/3 innings, yielding five runs - three earned - and five hits while walking five and striking out a pair.

It was the 25-year-old righthander's worst outing since being recalled from the minors on June 14. He entered Saturday's contest with a 4-0 mark and 1.60 ERA in five starts since his recall.

"Coming back (and scoring a run) in the first off Loe gave ourselves a little bit of a longer inning," Scioscia said. "That gave John a chance to catch his breath and make some pitches and maintain his stuff."

Combined with Friday night's defeat, the setback means Texas' string of seven straight series without a loss will come to an end. The Rangers had not lost a series since June 12-14 at Pittsburgh.