Lackey Goes Out of Control

Those well-placed, mitt-popping fastballs and knee-buckling curves that made John Lackey one of baseball’s most dominant pitchers in July failed to accompany the Angels right-hander to August.

Making his first start since being named American League pitcher of the month, Lackey walked six and was roughed up for seven runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings of a 7-3 loss to Texas on Friday night.

One of those free passes came with the bases loaded in the first inning, and one came in front of Mark DeRosa’s game-clinching grand slam in the fifth, which sent the Angels toward their third consecutive loss and fourth loss in five games.

“I didn’t have much command of anything,” said Lackey, who went 5-1 with a 2.08 earned-run average in six July starts. “I got into some trouble, and I didn’t find a pitch I could go to when I needed something.”

Texas right-hander Vicente Padilla (11-7) pounded the strike zone, fanning five and walking none in a seven-inning, three-run, seven-hit performance; Lackey (10-7) threw 96 pitches -- 51 for strikes -- in his second-shortest outing of the year.

“I don’t know if he was trying to be too fine early in the count, but he got behind a lot of hitters,” Manager Mike Scioscia said.

“You can’t keep setting the table for a team as dangerous offensively as they are.”

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Vladimir Guerrero had two hits Friday, a third-inning single and an eighth-inning double, and has now hit in all 44 games he’s played against Texas, batting .443 (77 for 174) with 15 home runs and 35 runs batted in during the stretch.... Angels first baseman Howie Kendrick extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a seventh-inning double, but second baseman Adam Kennedy’s career-best 17-game streak came to an end.... Juan Rivera had three singles in four at-bats, extending a streak in which the Angels outfielder is batting .360 (41 for 114) with 12 homers and 29 RBIs since July 1.... Garret Anderson hit a solo home run in the second, his first homer since July 17.... After throwing two scoreless innings Friday, Angels reliever Greg Jones was optioned back to triple-A Salt Lake to make room for outfielder Tommy Murphy, who will be activated today.