Angels wear out the gloves

Orlando Cabrera jumped high, twisting his body toward a ball that appeared to be headed into center field. The ball was smacked, and if it landed the Angels would be on the verge of disaster.

They started the ninth inning with a five-run lead. Then they had a four-run lead, then a three-run lead. If that line drive had hit the ground, they would have had a one-run lead.

The Angels’ shortstop leaped at precisely the right moment, leaned in midair, snatched the ball from above his head, fell to the ground and tumbled over. The Angels exhaled, securing a 6-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers in which Francisco Rodriguez got the official save and Cabrera the unofficial save.

“It wasn’t tough,” Cabrera said. “That was just to be on ESPN, that’s all.”

Modesty aside, that wasn’t the Angels’ only play worthy of a highlight reel on a night they extended their winning streak to six games. Gary Matthews Jr. saved three runs, maybe four, with two spectacular plays in center field, and Robb Quinlan smothered a would-be double with a nice diving stop at first base.

The Angels played long ball and small ball. Cabrera hit a two-run home run, Quinlan and Mike Napoli hit solo shots, and the Angels scored their other two runs in a rally that featured a walk, bunt single, an error and two sacrifice flies.

But, on an off night by ace John Lackey, the defense took center stage.

“It had to happen tonight, because I wasn’t pitching very good,” Lackey said. “You’ve got to give those guys credit for winning the game for us.”

In the box score, Lackey tied Boston’s Josh Beckett for the American League lead with seven victories and lowered his earned-run average to 2.38, second to Oakland’s Dan Haren.

Looks pretty, but it was pretty ugly. He left after five innings and 101 pitches, including a second inning in which he made 41 pitches and walked the bases loaded.

With two out -- and on a full count -- Brandon Inge hit a sinking line drive to center field. Matthews charged and made a sliding catch, and Lackey pounded his glove in delight.

Said Lackey: “If he doesn’t make that play, who knows if I even stay in the game.”

If Matthews doesn’t make that play, in the spacious Comerica Park outfield, the Tigers are circling the bases en masse.

“You either lay out and catch it, or you’ve got the Detroit Invitational breaking out on you,” Matthews said.

Matthews later raced across the outfield -- “It’s Death Valley out there,” Manager Mike Scioscia said -- to rob Craig Monroe of what would have been a run-scoring double.

Dustin Moseley pitched two shutout innings and Darren Oliver worked a perfect eighth inning. But the first three batters reached base against Oliver in the ninth, and the Angels hustled Rodriguez into the game for the save.

They’ve won 11 of 13 games, they’re in first place and they could be getting better. They’ll activate second baseman Howie Kendrick today, and outfielder Garret Anderson could be back soon.

“Get Garret back and get Howie,” Matthews said, “and this starts shaping up like a contender.”

*

bill.shaikin@latimes.com