Lackey Is Roughed Up by Seattle

This was vintage John Lackey, only the year was 2004, not 2005. That left a bitter aftertaste in the mouths of the Angels, whose bend-but-not-break right-hander from last season reverted to his rally-fueling days of yore.

One out from avoiding a big inning in the third, two outs from averting disaster in the fifth, Lackey could not make the big pitches at the right times Saturday night, crumbling under a barrage of hits in Seattle’s 12-6 victory in Angel Stadium.

Jose Lopez hit a two-out, two-run double to cap a three-run third inning, and Richie Sexson highlighted a five-run fifth with a grand slam, the first Lackey has given up in his four big league seasons.

Ichiro Suzuki tacked on a three-run home run and Adrian Beltre also homered against Kevin Gregg in the seventh inning, as the Mariners’ amassed 16 hits, eight for extra bases.

The Angels also had 16 hits, including two late Mike Napoli home runs, but stranded 12 runners. They fell six games behind first-place Texas in the American League West and had their string of five consecutive series victories ended.

Lackey, who threw seven shutout innings in his previous start, a 14-2 win over Cleveland on Sunday, had his worst game of the season, giving up eight earned runs and nine hits, walking four and striking out one in 4 2/3 innings.

He hardly resembled the composed pitcher who was 14-5 with a 3.44 earned-run average in 2005, a break-out season that convinced the Angels to sign him to a three-year, $17-million contract extension April 3.

“I didn’t locate my pitches well,” Lackey said. “I gave up a lot of hits -- a couple of soft ones, and a couple of loud ones. That’s a bad combination....We swung the bats well tonight. I make that a win most nights.”

Not against the Mariners. The Angels scored eight runs behind Lackey in Seattle on April 4 but lost, 10-8. Lackey has a 9.77 ERA (17 runs, 15 2/3 innings) in three starts against the Mariners and a 2.37 ERA (18 earned runs, 68 1/3 innings) in 10 other starts.

“I wouldn’t say they have my number; you’ll never hear that from me,” Lackey said. “But it feels like I’ve given up half my runs against them. I can’t explain it.”

Lackey (4-4) retired the first six batters he faced and was staked to a 2-0 lead in the second inning on two-out, run-scoring singles by Adam Kennedy and Chone Figgins.

But Lackey gave it right back in the third when Yuniesky Betancourt hit a run-scoring double and Lopez hit a two-run double for a 3-2 lead.

Mariners center fielder Jeremy Reed closed the fourth with a spectacular play, racing to the warning track, leaping for Orlando Cabrera’s drive and catching the ball before crashing into the fence.

Suzuki led off the fifth with a single and took third on Lopez’s one-out double. Manager Mike Scioscia chose to intentionally walk left-handed-hitting Raul Ibanez and face Sexson, who started the game with a .211 average but had a .429 career mark (six for 14) against Lackey.

“We were trying to get one ground ball and get out of the inning,” Scioscia said. “Maybe a strikeout.”

Instead, Lackey grooved a 1-and-1 fastball, and Sexson drove it over the wall in straight-away center field for his 10th home run and a 7-2 lead.

“I was totally OK with the decision,” Lackey said of the intentional walk. “I didn’t execute the pitch. That’s totally on me.”

Carl Everett followed with a single, and Reed capped the rally with a run-scoring single for an 8-2 lead, knocking Lackey out.

“We’re going to look at some things,” Scioscia said. “Sometimes a group of guys hits a pitcher well, but John is too good a pitcher to have those numbers against Seattle. Every mistake he made, they squared it up. We have to make some adjustments with what John has been doing with them.”