Lackey keeps shining

What worked so well for Angels Manager Mike Scioscia on Wednesday night at Great American Ball Park could do wonders for Detroit Manager Jim Leyland next month in San Francisco.

The combination of starter John Lackey and slugger Vladimir Guerrero propelled the Angels to a 6-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, and it very well might be a potent duo for the American League in the All-Star game.

Lackey continued his strong push for All-Star consideration by becoming the first 10-game winner in the major leagues, holding the Reds to three hits and three runs -- one earned -- in six innings while lowering his earned-run average to 2.53.

“He should be up for the starter too,” said Angels reliever Scot Shields, who combined with closer Francisco Rodriguez for three innings of scoreless relief. “Watching him game in and game out, there’s not a doubt in anybody in here’s mind.”

Guerrero, who leads AL outfielders in fan balloting for the July 10 game at AT&T; Park and is pretty much a lock to make his eighth All-Star appearance, broke out of an 0-for-14 skid with three hits and four runs batted in.

“If we’re worrying about Vlad swinging the bat,” Scioscia said, “I think we’re misplacing our anxiety.”

The Angels made Lackey (10-4) their opening-day starter this season and he has pitched like an ace, displaying the consistency that he had lacked for much of his first five years in the organization. He is among the league leaders in wins, earned-run average and innings pitched (92 2/3 ) after beginning the season with a pedestrian 60-49 record.

“With a guy like John Lackey I feel we can go so far because he’s a guy that when batters make adjustments at the plate I’ve seen Lackey make adjustments on the mound,” Guerrero said through an interpreter. “Playing behind him I see so many things that he does right to keep us in the ballgame. He doesn’t let anything bother him.”

Lackey nearly shook off the only jam he faced Wednesday, when he loaded the bases with nobody out in the fourth inning. He hit leadoff hitter Brandon Phillips with a pitch that Lackey argued had hit only the knob of Phillips’ bat -- “There was a pretty big black mark on the ball,” Lackey said -- before walking Ken Griffey Jr. and giving up a single to Adam Dunn.

Edwin Encarnacion followed with a high chopper to third baseman Chone Figgins, whose throw home hit Phillips in the leg for an error and allowed a run to score. But only one more run would come home in the inning, on Josh Hamilton’s double-play grounder, before Figgins robbed Alex Gonzalez with a diving stop down the third base line for the final out.

Guerrero got the Angels going with a first-inning run-scoring groundout, a run-scoring double into the left-field corner in the fourth and a two-run double to left-center in the sixth that gave them a 4-3 lead. Garret Anderson contributed a run-scoring single in the eighth and Orlando Cabrera had a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

“The guy, he’s unbelievable,” Lackey said of Guerrero. “He’s one of those guys that you’re going to tell your kids about.”

Lackey is also forging some fond memories for Angels fans. He struck out four, walked one and has won seven of his last eight decisions. More important, Lackey helped the Angels end a rare two-game losing streak and extend their lead over Seattle to four games in the AL West.

Does he feel like he has cemented his status as an All-Star?

“It will be up to Leyland,” Lackey said, referring to the AL manager. “Whatever he thinks.”

Said Guerrero: “I hope he goes to the All-Star game. He deserves it.”

ben.bolch@latimes.com