Guerrero Turns On the Heat in August

Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero batted .208 in July, his lowest average in a full month in his nine-year major league career, dropping his average from .351 on June 30 to .307 on July 31.

The slugger still had an impact, with five home runs and 21 runs batted in during the month, but with August has come a return to the kind of production that made Guerrero the 2004 American League most valuable player.

With the Angels trailing, 3-2, in the fifth inning Sunday, Guerrero lined a 2-and-2 pitch from reliever Julio Mateo into the left-field seats for a three-run home run to highlight the Angels’ third five-run rally of the series. It was Guerrero’s 26th home run of the season and left him one shy of 300 career homers.

Catcher Bengie Molina followed with a solo shot, and the Angels went on to a 7-6 victory, completing a three-game sweep that included Guerrero’s two upper-deck blasts Friday night at Safeco Field.

Guerrero is now batting .455 with seven homers and 23 RBIs in 12 games this month, bumping his average to .324.

“That’s the first real tough streak Vlad has had, but he was still productive in July,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “That’s why it’s incredible what we’ve seen all this time. He’s the type of player we’re privileged to have, not only on this team but in baseball. People are going to be talking about Vlad for a long time.”

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Pitcher John Lackey gave up four earned runs in 34 innings of his previous five starts, going 4-0 with a 1.06 ERA in those games, but through five batters Sunday, the right-hander already had given up three earned runs.

Lackey then recovered quickly, striking out Jeremy Reed and Yuniesky Betancourt to end the inning. He pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up six runs -- five earned -- and nine hits and striking out seven for a no-decision.

“He really settled down after the first inning,” Scioscia said. “He put up a bunch of zeros to give us a chance to get back into the game.”

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Scioscia initially said Sunday that he hoped Garret Anderson, relegated to designated hitter for the first two games of the Mariner series because of tendinitis in his left knee, would be able to return to left field this week.

That was before Anderson was scratched from the lineup because of tightness on the right side of his lower back, a condition that, when added to his injured knee, probably will prevent Anderson from returning to the field anytime soon.

“It’s something we can’t force,” Scioscia said. “If he feels good enough to swing, and that’s all he can do, that’s important for us. We have outfield depth; we don’t have offensive depth. We need him swinging every day.”

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Casey Kotchman’s solo home run off Seattle starter Gil Meche in the fourth inning gave the Angel first-base prospect four home runs in 32 at-bats this season, matching first baseman Darin Erstad’s home run output in 449 at-bats this season. ... Batting instructor Mickey Hatcher is scheduled to return to the team tonight after missing the series in Seattle to attend to a personal matter at home in Arizona.