Lackey Finds His Warning Amusing

John Lackey nearly laughed in the sixth inning Sunday afternoon at Angel Stadium when home plate umpire Kevin Kelley warned him for hitting Boston Red Sox shortstop Nomar Garciaparra with a pitch after Lackey had almost fallen down on his delivery.

“My stride was a little long and I slipped a little bit,” Lackey said. “The pitch just got away from me and went up and in. I kind of thought it was funny, actually, that I got warned.”

Lackey had just given up a game-turning, three-run homer to David Ortiz during the Red Sox’s 6-2 victory that was no laughing matter, but the Angel pitcher said there was no intent to hit Garciaparra.

Two innings later, Boston pitcher Curt Schilling hit Bengie Molina with a pitch, five innings after Molina had homered to provide the only run the Angels could manage off Schilling.

Angel Manager Mike Scioscia, livid that Schilling was not ejected because Kelley had warned both dugouts after Lackey hit Garciaparra, bolted out of the dugout and engaged in a protest that resulted in his own ejection.

“He had great command all day,” Scioscia said of Schilling, who issued no walks, “and for a guy with that kind of command, I wouldn’t expect him to lose a pitch like that.... He flat-out threw the ball at Bengie.”

Molina, sticking to his season-long policy of not speaking to reporters, declined to comment.

Schilling said he did not fear ejection despite Scioscia’s heated protest.

“After the warnings,” Schilling said, “I told the umpire that I still have to pitch in, and that’s an indicator to me, more than anything, that I don’t pitch in enough. I mean, when you throw a ball in and guys aren’t able to get out of the way, you’re not pitching in enough, and that’s something I definitely need to do more of.”

It was the second time this season that Lackey ended up on the wrong end of a hit-by-pitch exchange. Lackey was ejected and suspended five games after umpires ruled one of his pitches had grazed the jersey of Toronto’s Simon Pond at SkyDome on May 24.

The Angels felt Lackey was unjustly punished for the actions of Blue Jay pitcher Justin Miller, who had hit three Angel batters.

Said Lackey: “I got five games for not even hitting anybody, so what are you going to do?”

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Brendan Donnelly appears close to regaining the form that made him an All-Star last season, which should provide a big boost to an overworked bullpen as the Angels prepare for the stretch run.

Donnelly, sidelined the first 2 1/2 months of the season with an elbow injury and complications stemming from a broken nose, pitched in consecutive games for the first time this season Friday and Saturday, recording a scoreless inning with a strikeout in each appearance.

“It was an important step for him to be able to come back-to-back and repeat the same stuff and show that everything was there from the execution of pitches to velocity,” Scioscia said.

“The challenge for Brendan is not going to be on a given day to feel good and throw the ball like he did last year, it’s going to be to carry it over with the consistency that made him one of the best relievers in our league last year.”

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Scioscia said Bartolo Colon felt “OK” one day after being pulled after the sixth inning with tightness in his forearm and expected the right-hander to make his next scheduled start, Thursday against the Texas Rangers.... Scioscia said Jose Guillen was given the day off after originally being listed in the starting lineup. Tim Salmon replaced Guillen in left field.... It’s a wonder the Red Sox had lost nine of 11 road games before their victory Sunday, considering they had a sizable and vociferous contingent of fans in Anaheim. The Boston faithful repeatedly yelled “Let’s go Red Sox!” and occasionally broke into a derisive chant directed at their hated rivals, the New York Yankees, during lulls in the action.

ON DECK

Opponent -- Cleveland Indians, two games.

Site -- Angel Stadium.

TV -- Fox Sports Net, both games.

Radio -- KSPN (710), KTNQ (1020).

Records -- Angels 49-42, Indians 44-47.

Record vs. Indians -- 1-3.

Tonight, 7 -- Aaron Sele (5-0, 4.27) vs. Kazuhito Tadano (1-0, 5.65).

Tuesday, 1 p.m. -- Jarrod Washburn (10-4, 4.32) vs. Jake Westbrook (6-5, 3.14).