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Cabrera continues hot streak as Angels beat Mariners

May 17, 2007 - 6:32 AM SEATTLE (Ticker) -- A red-hot Orlando Cabrera helped John Lackey continue simmering.

Cabrera had two hits and drove in a pair of runs to back six strong innings from Lackey as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim posted a 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.

Cabrera, who is hitting .466 (14-for-30) in his last seven games, had a two-run single against reliever Chris Reitsma during a three-run seventh that provided a 5-0 lead. The Mariners' bullpen had allowed just three runs in its previous 15 1/3 innings.

"We were aggressive today," Cabrera said. "Yesterday they were running and stealing bases, but that's our game. That's the way we've got to play."

Lackey, who was coming off an impressive start in which he came two outs away from a complete game against Texas on Friday, was outstanding once again. He allowed just four hits with four strikeouts and one walk.

The righthander shutdown the Mariners, a day after they pounded the Angels 11-3 in the opener.

"He pitched a great ballgame and got some big outs," Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. "It got to a point after six innings where he was beat up a little bit."

Lackey (6-3) retired 12 in a row before Kenji Johjima hit a line drive off his ankle in the fifth. Lackey hobbled around the mound and team trainers came out along with manager Mike Scioscia, but Lackey remained in the game and finished the inning.

The Mariners loaded the bases off Lackey in the sixth on consecutive hits by Jose Lopez and Ichiro Suzuki and a one-out intentional walk to Raul Ibanez. That brought up Richie Sexson, who was hitting .429 with a pair of homers and 10 runs batted in against Lackey in his career.

"He's hit a few homers off me in the past so I definitely knew I had to make a good pitch," Lackey said. With what I had going tonight, I was confident I could get a ground ball."

Sexson obliged with a grounder to third and Jose Guillen struck out to end the Mariners' final threat of the night

Dustin Moseley logged two scoreless frames and Scot Shields worked the ninth to complete the four-hitter.

Rookie Reggie Willits had two hits and a pair of RBI for the Angels, who have won 10 of their last 11 games.

Los Angeles jumped on Seattle starter Cha Seung Baek early. Willits led off the game with a double to left. After Cabrera lined out, Vladimir Guerrero walked and Gary Matthews Jr. doubled home Willits. Matthews has 12 RBI in his last eight games.

Casey Kotchman followed with an RBI single to right that scored Guerrero to make the score 2-0.

Baek (1-1) allowed three runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. Shea Hillenbrand led off the decisive inning with an infield single off Baek.

"Once he (Baek) got past the first inning he was awfully good," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. "He made some adjustments and it paid off. We had our chances, but Lackey's awfully good and he was on his game tonight."

With Eric Flaherty on the mound, Hillenbrand was forced at second on a failed sacrifice attempt by Mike Napoli.

Chone Figgins walked and Willits singled, scoring Napoli. After a double steal off Reitsma, Cabrera singled to left to make the score 5-0.

Seattle center fielder Ichiro Suzuki, who went 5-for-5 in Tuesday's 11-3 series-opening win, had two hits and stole his 45th consecutive base in the first. He is now just five shy of Vince Coleman's major-league record of 50-straight steals in 1989.