• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Rangers batter Lackey, roll past Angels

Sep 27, 2008 - 5:51 AM ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- John Lackey's last regular-season start of the year was one he would like to forget.

The righthander surrendered a career-high 10 runs as Hank Blalock and Josh Hamilton homered, powering the Texas Rangers to a 12-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Friday.

Making his final start before the postseason, Lackey (12-5) lasted just 2 2/3 innings, giving up 12 hits during his 73-pitch outing. He most likely will be Anaheim's No. 1 starter when the club opens the American League Division Series next week.

"It was just one of those nights," Lackey said. "This won't affect my next start in the playoffs. Your last start before the playoffs is a little different because you just don't know how long you will be allowed to pitch."

Despite the loss, the Angels (99-61) still clinched home-field advantage in the AL thanks to the Detroit Tigers' victory over the Tampa Bay Rays (96-64).

"Home-field is only important if you play well," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "It's nice to have, and (I'm) just proud of our guys. John's our No. 1 guy, and his performance tonight doesn't change anything."

With the game tied at 1-1 after the first inning, Texas erupted for seven in the second to take control. The first seven batters reached as Blalock homered, Marlon Byrd delivered a two-run single and Michael Young added a two-run double to highlight the uprising.

"We just knew that we can't let (Lackey) settle down and get into a groove," said Blalock, who has homered in five straight games. "He pitched a dominant game the last time we faced him, so we just wanted to attack him early."

The Rangers tacked on two more runs in the third, including Hamilton's 32nd homer of the season that knocked Lackey out of the game.

"They just squared up everything on John tonight," Scioscia said. "He needed to go out and get some work in. He will turn the page and be ready."

Every starter in Texas' lineup had at least one hit, with six players recording multi-hit performances in the 19-hit outburst. Chris Davis led the way with four and also scored two runs.

Vicente Padilla (14-8) was the beneficiary of the offense, allowing one run and four hits in six innings. The righthander walked two and struck out eight.

"It helped that they put up runs for me to work with," Padilla said through an interpreter. "It made me go out and just attack their hitters and try to throw strikes early in the count."

Vladimir Guerrero accounted for the Angels' lone run with an RBI single.