Lackey and Scioscia Get Suspensions and Fines

Angel pitcher John Lackey was suspended for five games and Manager Mike Scioscia for one game Thursday, after Major League Baseball Vice President Bob Watson ruled that Lackey intentionally threw at a batter during a May 24 game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Lackey appealed the suspension and will start as scheduled Saturday. Without a union to appeal on his behalf, Scioscia served his suspension Thursday night, with bench coach Joe Maddon serving as acting manager for the game against the Cleveland Indians. Lackey and Scioscia also were fined.

“I’m definitely surprised,” Lackey said. “I didn’t think I deserved to be suspended.”

After Toronto pitcher Justin Miller hit three Angel batters -- and after Jose Guillen, the third one hit, stared menacingly toward Miller -- umpires warned both teams that any further brushback pitches judged to be intentional would subject the pitcher and his manager to ejection.

In the same inning, Lackey threw one pitch to Simon Pond high and tight, knocking him down. After umpires ruled his next pitch grazed Pond’s jersey -- replays appeared to indicate Pond had not been hit -- Lackey and Scioscia were ejected.

“I didn’t think ejection was warranted, so I don’t think a fine and suspension are warranted,” Scioscia said. “We were not retaliating. We don’t do that.”

Scioscia also said he was “very disturbed” that Lackey was ejected after umpire Jim Reynolds promised that the warning should not preclude the Angels from pitching inside.

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Jose Molina turned 29 Thursday and celebrated by watching the major league debut of his brother, Yadier, 21, a catcher with the St. Louis Cardinals. As the St. Louis game aired in the clubhouse, teammates joked about “the younger and better Molina.”Kidding aside, the players were tickled the last Molina brother had joined Bengie, who turns 30 next month, and Jose in the majors.

Said Jose: “How many families have one person in the big leagues? We have three now. I know my mom and dad are really happy and I’m really happy for my family. There’s not another word to describe it.”

The last trio of siblings to play in the majors in the same season also hailed from Puerto Rico: The Cruz brothers, in 1977 -- outfielders Jose (Houston), Hector (St. Louis) and Tommy (Chicago White Sox) -- according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

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The Angels’ streak of eight consecutive sellouts ended Thursday, but the team still topped one million in attendance in a club-record 25 home games. The Angels set the previous mark last season, drawing one million in 29 games en route to a club-record three million.