• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Gallagher impressive as Athletics rout Angels

Sep 17, 2008 - 6:02 AM By Ryan Leong PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Rookie Sean Gallagher pitched seven solid innings on Tuesday, leading the Oakland Athletics to an 8-1 rout of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Gallagher (2-2), who was part of the trade that sent former ace Rich Harden to the Chicago Cubs earlier this season, allowed one run and four hits. The 22-year-old righthander struck out six without walking a batter in his second start since returning from the disabled list with shoulder fatigue.

"Its taken longer than I would have liked," said Gallagher, who earned his first win since July 11 - his first start after joining the A's. "It's just one of those things. I went through a bad spell and luckily enough I was able to pull myself out of it and hopefully I can continue it the rest of the way."

Gallagher still isn't sure what caused his seven-start slide.

"I really don't know what it was," he said. "I think I drifted off a little bit and it was kind of a downfall I had. I let myself get away with a few too many things and then, of course, the injury sprung up and I wasn't really too happy with that and it took me a little longer to come back than I would have liked. But now that I'm 100 percent I just want to keep battling and keep going out there."

Gallagher's outing helped Oakland overcome longtime nemesis John Lackey (11-4), who surrendered four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings to fall to 14-4 lifetime against the Athletics. Lackey walked one and struck out four in suffering his first loss against Oakland since April 18, 2007.

"John's one of the best pitchers in the American League," Athletics manager Bob Geren said. "He's dominated us so it's nice to beat him."

Despite the end result, Lackey dominated the Athletics' lineup early, scattering only three hits over the first four innings. But the wheels fell off in the fifth and sixth, when he allowed four runs and six hits.

"My arm felt great, movement wise and velocity wise," said Lackey, who pitched on nine days' rest. "(The time off) definitely helped physically. It will end up helping me in the end (for the playoffs)."

In the bottom of the fifth, Jack Hannahan tied the game at 1-1 by lining a hanging curveball from Lackey over the right field wall for his ninth home run.

"He was throwing me a lot of curveballs every time I faced him this year," Hannahan said. "Fastballs and sinkers away and then he'd throw that curveball, kind of slider type deal and he finally left one over the plate."

The A's had grabbed a 2-1 lead with two outs in the frame, when rookie Aaron Cunningham doubled to center and scored on a single by Ryan Sweeney, who finished with four hits.

Oakland added two more runs in the sixth. Kurt Suzuki stroked a leadoff double to left, advanced to third on a groundout by Travis Buck and scored on a wild pitch.

Visibly upset by his errant throw, Lackey gave up a single to the next batter, Bobby Crosby. Rookie Daric Barton followed with an RBI double, chasing Lackey.

"I just wasn't locating my fastball and I went to my curveball a few too many times," Lackey said.

Oakland added three runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth to coast to victory.

"Anytime you win a game is huge, especially with our second half," Hannahan said. "We've struggled and it all started after this series with these guys right before the All-Star break and we're trying to get out of it and this is a big win. We beat a good team and a great pitcher tonight."

Kendry Morales accounted for the lone run for Anaheim, leading off the fifth with his first home run of the season.

Although the Angels have already clinched the American League West title, manager Mike Scioscia wants his team, which owns the best record in the AL at 92-58, to earn home-field advantage throughout the postseason. The problem is that many of his best players are dealing with various injuries.

"The guys that are out of the lineup are banged up," Scioscia said. "Juan Rivera, Vlad (Guerrero), Howie (Kendrick), Torii Hunter up until he got back in the lineup tonight. So these guys are banged up. If not they'd be out there playing. We want to keep momentum going moving forward."