Angels Find Comfort Zone

Trailing the Cleveland Indians by three runs in the sixth inning Wednesday, the Angels faced the prospect of moving back into last place in the American League West, a position they spent exactly one day in last season but have become uncomfortably familiar with in 2003.

Turns out the Angels had the Indians right where they wanted them, on the brink of facing a bullpen that has compiled a 1-10 record and blown six of 11 save opportunities.

The Angels capitalized when Cleveland starter Brian Anderson departed after the sixth, torching three relievers for five consecutive hits and three runs during the seventh inning of a 6-5 victory in front of 24,063 at Edison Field.

Troy Glaus, who finished a double short of hitting for the cycle, started the comeback in the sixth by hitting a leadoff triple to right and scoring on Shawn Wooten’s sacrifice fly to make it 5-3.

The Angels unloaded for three more runs in the seventh to take the lead for good. David Eckstein hit a one-out double and scored on pinch-hitter Jeff DaVanon’s double to the wall in center.

DaVanon moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on Tim Salmon’s single to center that chased Dave Elder. Carl Sadler gave up a single to Garret Anderson and was promptly replaced by David Riske, who surrendered Glaus’ single that drove in Salmon with what proved to be the winning run.

“Troy is starting to swing the bat a little better this homestand,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said.

Brendan Donnelly escaped a two-on, one-out jam in the eighth and Troy Percival pitched a scoreless ninth to record his fourth save. Scot Shields (2-1) picked up the victory by pitching a perfect seventh that included two strikeouts.

John Lackey took a step backward after registering his first quality start of the season against Toronto on May 2. The right-hander surrendered a season-high 12 hits and five runs in 5 1/3 innings and registered a season-high six strikeouts. If there was one positive, it was that he did not issue a walk for the second consecutive start.

The Indians touched Lackey for two home runs, including Shane Spencer’s two-run shot in the third inning that gave Cleveland a 4-1 lead. John McDonald hit his first home run of the season in the sixth to make it 5-2.

Lackey pitched only one 1-2-3 inning, in the fourth, but even then every out was hit hard.

“This is not going to deter John,” Scioscia said. “This guy has taken some baby steps forward. He’s got the resiliency to withstand some of these rough starts.”

Said Lackey: “I’ll stay after it and get this thing turned around.”

Ellis Burks gave Cleveland a 1-0 lead in the first when he doubled into the left-field corner and scored on Karim Garcia’s solid single to right.

The Angels tied the score in the second on Glaus’ solo homer to center, but Omar Vizquel put the Indians ahead in the third with a run-scoring double and later scored on Spencer’s two-run homer to left-center.

The Angels scored a run in the fifth on Benji Gil’s RBI single to left but squandered an opportunity for a big inning when Anderson grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.

Wednesday marked the fourth consecutive game in which Scioscia benched Scott Spiezio against a left-handed starter.

The first baseman, replaced by Wooten, is hitting .154 against left-handers. Then again, he’s hitting only .222 against right-handers.

“I’m struggling from both sides of the plate,” said Spiezio, hitting .204 overall after flying out in his only at-bat as a pinch-hitter Wednesday, “so I need to get in a groove both ways.”

Said Scioscia: “We have depth at [first base], and we’re going to go with guys who we think are going to swing the bats for us. But we’re going to need Spiez to definitely start swinging better right-handed.”