Near-Perfect Revenge

This is anger management at its finest.

In his eagerly awaited rematch with the Oakland Athletics, John Lackey got his revenge -- not with words or fists, but very nearly with a perfect game.

He gave up a leadoff double to Mark Kotsay, then retired the next 27 batters, lifting the Angels to a 3-0 victory over Barry Zito and the first-place A’s on Friday. In pitching the Angels’ first complete-game one-hitter since Chuck Finley’s in 1989, Lackey said he had no idea he had recorded 27 consecutive outs.

“I really wasn’t aware that nobody had gotten on base,” Lackey said. “I knew I hadn’t been in the stretch in quite a while.”

He became the first pitcher in 24 years to give up a leadoff hit and retire the next 27 batters. Jerry Reuss last did it, pitching for the Dodgers on June 11, 1982, against the Cincinnati Reds.

On a night Lackey left his mark in Angels history, Orlando Cabrera etched his name in baseball’s record book. His streak of reaching base ended at 63 consecutive games, the sixth-longest streak in major league history. Of the five streaks longer than his, Ted Williams had three and Joe DiMaggio one.

Robb Quinlan hit a two-run home run and Chone Figgins a solo shot in support of Lackey, who might be the hottest pitcher in the American League. Zito is headed to the All-Star game and Lackey is not, but Lackey struck out 10 for the second consecutive game. In his last five games, his earned-run average is 0.96.

Lackey (7-5) ranks second in the league with a 2.88 ERA, first with an opponents’ batting average of .195.

“John’s an All-Star-caliber pitcher,” said Angels Manager Mike Scioscia, who caught Reuss’ near-gem in 1982. “I think he’s throwing the ball as well as anybody in the league, but his won-loss record doesn’t really reflect that.”

As Kotsay fouled out for the final out, Lackey responded with a modest fist pump, lifting his right hand by a few inches. He left his last game against the A’s screaming and fighting, after accusing Jason Kendall of leaning over home plate and trying to get hit and then taking on Kendall after he charged the mound.

Both players were ejected, Kendall was suspended and Lackey was fined. As Lackey warmed up Friday, catcher Mike Napoli sensed his pitcher was more than ready for this game.

“He was little pumped up,” Napoli said, “especially in the first inning.”

Said Scioscia: “John’s problem isn’t getting up for games. It’s controlling his emotions.”

Kotsay poked a 95-mph fastball to the opposite field, on a full count, for a double that started the first inning. Lackey controlled his emotions and the A’s with ease from then on, completing the game in 109 pitches.

Quinlan, inserted into the lineup because of his .364 average off left-handers, hit a two-run home run off Zito in the third inning. In 17 at-bats off Zito, a former Cy Young Award winner, Quinlan has seven hits, including three home runs.

Figgins homered in the fifth. In five games on this trip, the Angels have hit 11 homers.

In speaking with reporters, Lackey denied he fed off any motivation besides pitching against Zito, and against the team in first place in the Angels’ division. He also said he didn’t leave the ballpark with that just-missed-a-perfect-game feeling.

“I don’t feel like I just missed,” he said. “I was in the stretch trying to get out of a jam right out of the gate.”

He did, and how. No matter how fine his evening, he said, it did not compare to his victory in Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.

“That,” he said, “was for a ring.”

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One to remember

*--* PITCHER OPP. DATE John Lackey at Oakland July 7, 2006 Chuck Finley at Boston May 26, 1989 Kirk McCaskill vs. Toronto April 28, 1989 Willie Fraser vs. Seattle Aug. 10, 1988 Kirk McCaskill at Texas June 25, 1986 Bruce Kison at Minnesota April 23, 1980 Nolan Ryan vs. New York July 13, 1979 Chris Knapp at Toronto Sept. 3, 1978 Nolan Ryan vs. Cleveland May 5, 1978 Nolan Ryan vs. Seattle April 15, 1977 Andy Hassler vs. Chicago Sept. 8, 1974 Nolan Ryan vs. Texas June 27, 1974 Nolan Ryan vs. New York Aug. 29, 1973 Nolan Ryan vs. Boston July 9, 1972 Bob Turley vs. Chicago June 12, 1963 Dean Chance at Minnesota Sept. 10, 1962

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Source: Angels