Angels Ready to Make Their Pitch

The Angels are suddenly standing tall with 100 games remaining in the regular season. Not in the standings, where they trail the Seattle Mariners by 10 games in the American League West, but in the sense that their roster is finally intact and their starting pitching has returned to form.

That combination contributed to the Angels’ 2-1 interleague victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday at Edison Field, but it was only part of the story. Tim Salmon, a guy who has been around all season, scored the winning run, and Brendan Donnelly, who has become one of the game’s most dominant relievers, escaped a rare self-induced jam.

The Angels (32-30) have won eight of their last 12 games, in large part because the starting pitching that faltered for the first eight weeks of the season has enjoyed close to a 180-degree turnaround.

John Lackey pitched 6 1/3 strong innings Tuesday, extending to eight games the streak in which Angel starters have lasted at least six innings. The Angels have won five of those games.

“I think what we needed to jump-start this team is starting to fall in place, and it’s starting pitching,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “That’s what really sets the tone for our club. When our guys go out there and pitch to their capabilities, we’re in every game.”

Lackey also excelled in the field, helping himself in the seventh after Pat Burrell led off with a double to right. Tomas Perez bunted in an attempt to move Burrell to third, and Angel catcher Bengie Molina instructed Lackey to take the sure out at first after the pitcher fielded the ball in front of the mound. But Lackey whirled without hesitation and threw to third, where Troy Glaus applied the tag on a sliding Burrell.

“I felt he had bunted it hard enough that I had a chance at third,” said Lackey (4-5), who walked two and struck out a season-high eight. “Troy made a great play.”

David Bell then chased Lackey with a solid single to left, putting runners on first and second, but Donnelly averted further damage.

Donnelly, who has stranded all 14 inherited runners this season, put himself in a bind an inning later when he issued a one-out walk to Jim Thome and a single to Bobby Abreu. But he got Mike Lieberthal to pop up and struck out Burrell.

“To get Burrell in that situation, sneaking a fastball by him, is not easy,” Scioscia said. “He made some terrific pitches.”

Troy Percival, displaying his abbreviated leg kick at Edison Field for the first time, pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save.

“My mechanics, I’m still learning them,” said Percival, whose recent hip injury caused him to abandon his trademark high leg kick. “My control’s a lot better, so I’m happy about that.”

The Angels won despite getting only four hits, Salmon scoring the go-ahead run in the sixth on a wild pitch. He led off with a triple after center fielder Marlon Byrd twisted his body the wrong way at the wall and couldn’t come up with the catch. Salmon came home when Brandon Duckworth’s high pitch grazed catcher Lieberthal’s glove and went to the backstop.

The Angels had an opportunity to add to their lead in the inning after Glaus walked and moved to third on Scott Spiezio’s single to left-center, but Adam Kennedy lined out to first baseman Perez, who stepped on first to double off Spiezio.

Spiezio picked up two hits, giving him five over the last two games.

Shoddy defense contributed to the Phillies’ run in the second inning. Perez, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, moved to second when Molina’s pickoff throw squirted past first baseman Spiezio down the right-field line. Bell drove in Perez with a single to right.

The Angels tied the score in the bottom of the inning when Glaus walked, went to third on Spiezio’s bloop single and scored on Kennedy’s sacrifice fly.