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Rodriguez can tie season save record as Angels take on Mariners

Sep 11, 2008 - 10:17 AM Seattle (57-87) at LA Angels (88-57) 10:05 p.m. EDT

ANAHEIM, California (Ticker) -- The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim have won an alarming amount of games, 88, en route to becoming the first team this season to clinch a playoff spot. Their ninth-inning ace, Francisco Rodriguez, has closed out 56.

With one more finish, he can tie Bobby Thigpen's record for saves in a season with 57. His first chance comes on Thursday when the Angels take on the Seattle Mariners.

Rodriguez danced around a walk and a hit in the ninth inning on Wednesday against the New York Yankees and nailed down a 4-2 win.

Anaheim has seven division titles in franchise history -- four under manager Mike Scioscia. In 2002, the team won the AL pennant and World Series as a wild-card entry.

Rodriguez came on the scene and made a name for himself - "K-Rod" - throughout those playoffs. In the AL Division Series, he silenced the Yankees' bats and earned two victories with eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Against the Minnesota Twins in the ALCS, he went 2-0 with seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Finally, in the 2002 World Series against the San Francisco Giants, he had a 1-1 record with 13 strikeouts in 8 2/3 frames. At 20, he became the youngest pitcher in 32 years to pitch in the Fall Classic and the youngest ever to win a game.

The Angels (88-57), who own the best record in baseball, can spend the final 17 games setting up their rotation for the playoffs.

John Lackey (11-3, 3.25 ERA) will figure to be one of the top options for Scioscia. The 29-year-old righthander has won five of his last six decisions and has held opponents to three runs or less in six of his last 10 outings.

Lackey was the winning pitcher in Game Seven of the 2002 World Series - becoming only the second rookie in World Series history to start and win Game Seven, the other being Babe Adams of the 1909 Pittsburgh Pirates - and has developed a reputation as a big-game pitcher.

He faces Brandon Morrow (2-2, 1.42), who came within four outs of joining Bobo Holloman as the only pitchers since 1900 to throw no-hitters in their first major league starts. On Friday against the Yankees, Morrow threw 7 2/3 no-hit innings before having the gem broken up.