Escobar Is Specializing in Quality Starts

Mike Scioscia, responding to a reporter’s question Sunday morning, included seven-game winner Jarrod Washburn and dominant reliever Francisco Rodriguez on a lengthy list of Angel players he thought deserved All-Star consideration.

Perhaps he should have included Kelvim Escobar, who delivered his sixth consecutive quality start Sunday afternoon during the Angels’ 6-5, 15-inning loss to the Chicago Cubs at Angel Stadium.

Escobar gave up five hits and two runs in seven innings in recording his second no-decision during a three-game span in which he had compiled a 1.17 earned-run average and established himself as the Angels’ most consistent starter.

In his last six starts, Escobar has given up 10 earned runs and 36 hits in 43 innings for a 2.09 ERA.

“Right now he’s in a great groove and he’s throwing the ball real good and kind of picking up the rest of us, who have been up and down,” said Washburn, who is 7-3 with a 5.63 ERA. “It’s nice to have at least one guy going out there and doing what we’re supposed to.”

Escobar, whose 4-2 record is more a reflection of the Angels’ lack of run support than his performance, has a 3.27 ERA, eighth best in the American League. The Angels had scored 11 runs in his last five starts before Sunday and are averaging four runs in his 12 starts.

“It’s tough as a starter to control winning or losing,” said Escobar, who signed a three-year, $18.75-million contract in November. “You just have to go out there and have quality starts. I’m very happy because I’ve been consistent. That was one of the things I was looking for when I was coming over here.”

In many ways Escobar, 28, has assumed the top-of-the-rotation designation that was expected to go to veteran Bartolo Colon, who signed a four-year, $51-million deal in December but has gone 4-5 with a 6.24 ERA. Only Aaron Sele, who has compiled a 3.18 ERA in eight starts since joining the rotation, has a lower ERA than Escobar among the starters.

“I think it’s pretty obvious when you look at the way he’s taken the ball and pitched that he’s been one of our most consistent starters,” Scioscia said of Escobar. “He’s doing what he’s capable of doing.”

Escobar surrendered one run Sunday when the Cubs bunched together three singles in the fourth and another when Derrek Lee hit a first-pitch homer to center in the seventh.

The right-hander threw 67 of his 101 pitches for strikes, walking one and striking out three.

“You have to keep working and things are going to change,” said Escobar, who also received a no-decision Tuesday after throwing eight shutout innings during the Angels’ 1-0, 17-inning loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. “You keep throwing like that, I guarantee you we’re going to win a lot of games.”