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Lackey outduels Kazmir as Angels top Rays

Jun 11, 2008 - 11:14 PM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- John Lackey likes his chances when he sees the Tampa Bay Rays on the schedule.

Lackey pitched 7 1/3 outstanding innings Wednesday, lifting the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay.

Maicer Izturis hit a key two-run single and Vladimir Guerrero belted a solo homer for Anaheim, which has won eight straight series.

"It was a good all around win for our team today," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "It was our style of game."

It's no surprise that Lackey (3-1) earned the win vs. Tampa Bay, a team he is 9-1 against in 11 career starts. The 6-6 righthander, who allowed two runs, four hits and two walks while striking out a season high-tying seven batters, also is a perfect 7-0 here vs. the Rays.

"I just happen to throw good against those guys, it has nothing to do with them," Lackey said. "I just go out and throw my game no matter who we are playing."

Scot Shields pitched to two batters in the eighth before Francisco Rodriguez worked around a two-out walk to rookie Evan Longoria to record his major league-leading 27th save.

Lackey and Rays ace Scott Kazmir engaged in a pitchers' duel through the first six innings.

"I knew it was going to be a battle going against Kazmir," Lackey said. "Figured it was going to be a low- scoring game so just wanted to be aggressive and attack the zone."

After surrendering a first-inning triple to Akinori Iwamura followed by a run-scoring hit to Carl Crawford, Lackey yielded just two more hits throughout the rest of his outing.

"He (Lackey) doesn't give up a lot of runs, so we have to get to him early before he settles in," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "We had a chance to push across some more in the first but he made some big pitches."

Meanwhile, Kazmir (6-2) was dominant, giving up just one hit and fanning eight through six frames. After retiring the first 11 batters he faced, the 24-year-old southpaw served up a first-pitch fastball to Gary Matthews Jr, a line shot over the left field fence for his seventh homer of the season that tied the score at 1-1.

"I felt great, and I had everything working really good for me," Kazmir said.

With the game still knotted in the top of the seventh, Longoria scored on a sacrifice fly by Dioner Navarro, giving the Rays a 2-1 lead.

However, one-half inning later, Kazmir allowed two hits before walking Reggie Willits to load the bases with two outs. Izturis, who extended his hitting streak to 11 games earlier in the contest, then drilled a single to to right-center, plating Casey Kotchman and Robb Quinlan to put Anaheim in front, 3-2.

"The seventh inning was unbelievable," Kazmir said. "I haven't seen anything like that before, where a umpire changes his strike zone because of the count.

"Some veterans told me before the game that he (home plate umpire Derryl Cousins) doesn't like to call batters out on strikes. I'm just frustrated."

After the run-scoring hit, Maddon, who came out to replace Kazmir, was ejected by Cousins for arguing balls and strikes.

"I didn't like the calls, didn't like them at all," Maddon said. "I just wanted my voice to be heard. My biggest concern is that the strike zone stays the same and doesn't change at all."

Kazmir finished with three runs, six hits and three walks allowed while matching his season high with 10 strikeouts.

Guerrero homered off Tampa Bay reliever J.P. Howell in the eighth inning for his 10th of the season and third in his last four games.

"I got a pitch down in the zone and made good contact," said Guerrero through an interpreter. "It gave us an extra run to work with and we got a win to win the series."