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Lackey sharp again as Angels win sixth straight

Jun 7, 2008 - 5:41 AM By Al Barba PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- John Lackey and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim continued their road mastery Friday night in Oakland.

Lackey allowed one run and four hits while striking out five in seven innings as the Angels defeated the Athletics, 3-1, for their season-high sixth straight win overall and fourth in a row on the road.

Jose Arredondo pitched a scoreless eighth inning and Francisco Rodriguez worked a perfect ninth to notch his major league-leading 25th save.

The win was Anaheim's eighth in its last 10 road games and improved its record away from Angel Stadium to a major league-best 20-11.

Lackey (2-1) was dominant from the outset. After allowing a one-out single by Bobby Crosby in the first inning, the righthander retired 15 in a row before Kurt Suzuki doubled to left-center field with one out in the sixth.

"(Oakland starter) Joe Blanton pitched a terrific game. He's always tough on us and John Lackey matched him pitch-for-pitch," Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said. "We were able to get the lead and hold on. John has been really finding his groove as he's come of the disabled list. He's been going deeper into games and he's obviously a big part of our rotation."

The only mistake made by Lackey came in the seventh, when Jack Cust clubbed the first pitch of the inning over the wall in right-center field for a solo home run that got Oakland within 3-1.

Lackey improved to 13-3 lifetime against the Athletics and lowered his ERA to 2.77. He owns a 7-2 record and 2.91 ERA in Oakland.

"(The Athletics) have a good team," Lackey said. "I do enjoy pitching here. They have a nice mound and it usually seems like it's a pretty good game. It's fun."

For Blanton, it was another tough outing at McAfee Coliseum. Blanton (3-8) entered the game having won just one of his previous six starts and owning a 1-5 record and 3.99 ERA in nine home outings.

"Joe pitched well enough to win, but obviously their guy pitched better," Athletics manager Bob Geren said. "(Lackey's) one of the better pitchers in the league. He pitched like that tonight."

"Blanton is a good pitcher. He's a guy that really goes after hitters, and he really challenges hitters," Lackey said. "You know you have to pitch well when you go against a guy like that."

Maicer Izturis gave the Angels a quick 1-0 lead as he led off the contest with a home run to right field - his first career game-opening blast.

"It's nice. It's always nice when you take the mound for the first time with the lead," Lackey said of Izturis' lead-off home run. "It gives you a little cushion."

Oakland's defense failed Blanton in the third, as Anaheim scored an unearned run on a two-out single by Vladimir Guerrero. The frame was set up when Izturis reached on a throwing error by shortstop Crosby and the Athletics failed to turn an inning-ending double play.

The Angels pushed their lead to 3-0 in the seventh on an RBI single to left field by Jeff Mathis that scored Gary Matthews Jr., who opened the inning with a double to right-center field.