Lackey shows star power in Angels’ win

It’s not the driving force behind his between-starts workouts or what motivates him when he takes the mound, but John Lackey admits the validation is something he would relish.

The Angels right-hander has not been to an All-Star game in his five big league seasons, but after throwing six shutout innings in Wednesday night’s 5-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners in Safeco Field, he seems well on his way to his first.

Lackey gave up four hits, struck out four and walked one, and he worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the sixth inning en route to his sixth win, second in the American League behind Boston’s Josh Beckett, who has seven.

“It would be nice to be in that group of elite pitchers at least once,” Lackey (6-3) said. “It would be a nice accomplishment, something to add to the other stuff, but as long as we’re in contention for the playoffs, I’ll take that. I think the guys in here think we have a good chance to win every time I pitch. The respect of your teammates is the most important thing.”

That, Lackey has, especially after remaining in Wednesday’s game despite twisting his left ankle while fielding Raul Ibanez’s grounder in the first inning and taking a vicious Kenji Johjima liner off the same ankle in the fifth.

“He’s a warrior -- he didn’t want to come out,” said shortstop Orlando Cabrera, who backed Lackey with two superb plays and capped a three-run seventh with a two-run single. “Right now, he’s an All-Star. He’s got the numbers.”

And he’s gaining the pedigree, that reputation that comes with dominance, consistency and an ability to elevate his game when needed.

Lackey, who retired 16 consecutive batters during last Friday’s game in Texas, retired 14 in a row from the first to the fifth inning Wednesday, a streak that ended with Johjima’s smash in the fifth. Lackey got out of the inning, preserving a 2-0 lead, but ran into serious trouble in the sixth.

Jose Lopez and Ichiro Suzuki singled and advanced on Jose Vidro’s groundout. With first base open, Manager Mike Scioscia ordered an intentional walk of Ibanez, who bats left-handed, to load the bases for right-handed slugger Richie Sexson, who entered with a .429 average (9 for 21) and two homers against Lackey.

Sexson chopped a first-pitch grounder to third baseman Chone Figgins, who threw home to force Lopez for the second out. Angels nemesis Jose Guillen worked the count full before striking out on a breaking pitch that bounced in the dirt, a few feet behind the plate. Catcher Mike Napoli couldn’t find the ball at first but recovered in time to grab it and step on the plate.

“Sexson is dangerous -- that’s not an easy decision -- but Ibanez is tough with runners in scoring position,” Scioscia said. “You’ve got to roll the dice sometimes, and John felt better with the matchups coming up.”

The Angels padded their lead with a three-run seventh, a rally that struggling designated hitter Shea Hillenbrand started with a soft single to center. Hillenbrand was wiped out on Napoli’s fielder’s choice, but Figgins walked and Reggie Willits sliced a single to right.

The strong-armed Guillen bobbled Willits’ hit, giving him no shot to cut down Napoli. Figgins and Willits pulled off a double steal, and both scored on Cabrera’s single to left through a drawn-in infield.

The Angels scored two runs in the first inning when Willits doubled, Vladimir Guerrero drew a one-out walk, and Gary Matthews Jr., and Casey Kotchman each hit RBI singles off Cha Seung Baek.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com