Angels Are Late Boomers

Fans were begging, “Na-po-lee, Na-po-lee, Na-po-lee.” But, then, there has been a lot of pleading at Angel Stadium this season -- mostly from Angels pitchers who crave run support.

This time Mike Napoli, the Angels’ fireplug of a catcher, answered the call.

Napoli’s launched a two-run, eighth-inning double that might not qualify as a shot heard ‘round the world, but was certainly a much-needed boost for the Angels. That key hit, and another solid outing by pitcher John Lackey, allowed the Angels to scratch out a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the Colorado Rockies on Monday.

A five-run eighth inning and Lackey’s doggedness on the mound provided snippets of how good the Angels think they can be.

“We’ve got guys in here who have been through this before; we are capable of putting together a run,” second baseman Adam Kennedy said. “We need a run now, and we need a good run. Oakland, like they do every year, is coming into their own. It’s not a good thing to be seven games behind them. We have to get going now.”

The Angels seem to be doing more than running in place, winning four of their last five games. But Monday’s victory seemed to carry a little more weight.

“I think the way we won was almost more important than the win,” Manager Mike Scioscia said. “We have not played to our capabilities this season. We know what we have to do to turn this season around.”

More offensive outbursts would be a good starting point.

Colorado starter Jason Jennings barely seemed to break a sweat, working through the Angels’ lineup as if planted on a couch playing a video baseball game. Jennings retired 13 of the first 14 Angels batters and gave up three hits through seven innings, carrying a 3-0 lead into the eighth.

Jennings left after giving up a single and a walk to start the eighth. By the time Napoli came to the plate, the Angels had trimmed the lead to 3-2 and fans behind the Angels’ dugout were calling for more.

“Yeah, I heard it,” Napoli said sheepishly when asked whether he heard his name being chanted. “That was all right.”

Napoli didn’t allow those yells to become catcalls. He sent a line drive through the gap in right-center field to give the Angels the lead. Napoli has eight home runs and 20 runs batted in since being recalled from triple-A Salt Lake.

“What’s impressive is him being here as a catcher in the big leagues and batting fifth in the order, trying to provide some of the offense we need,” Scioscia said.

That is the result of the mixing and matching Scioscia has had to do this season. However, nobody in the Angels’ clubhouse is rushing to push the panic button; a seriously concerned button is more what they had in mind.

“What we have to do is play better baseball,” Kennedy said. “You can have one bad game a week, that’s OK. You can’t have a couple a week, and that’s what is happening to us.”

The Angels seemed well on their way to using up Kennedy’s quota Monday, and leaving Lackey with another wasted performance.

While Angels hitters flailed and failed against Jennings, Lackey carved up the Rockies’ lineup.

Todd Helton’s two-run home run gave Colorado the lead in the first inning, but Lackey became stingy after that, giving up only two more hits after the first inning, one a run-scoring single by Brad Hawpe.

He struck out four and won for only the second time in his last 11 starts, despite a string of good outings.

“I just need to pitch and give us a chance to win,” Lackey said. “But that is definitely how we’re capable of playing.”