Lackey in new era for Angels

Disco polluted the airwaves. Rod Carew was honored as the American League most valuable player. And an Angels pitcher led the league in earned-run average.

It was 30 years ago. Frank Tanana was the pitcher, first in an illustrious top five that included Bert Blyleven, Nolan Ryan, Ron Guidry and Jim Palmer.

And now, for the first time since 1977, an Angels pitcher could lead the league in ERA. He’s John Lackey, in ace form for a team that should clinch a playoff berth in a matter of days.

“We might have to have a plane crash not to get in,” Lackey said.

Lackey combined with Francisco Rodriguez on a six-hitter Tuesday, leading the Angels to a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Angel Stadium. Lackey struck out 10 in eight innings, Rodriguez struck three more in the ninth, and the Angels cut their magic number to win the AL West to four.

They also closed to within half a game of the Boston Red Sox for the best record in the league and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

Lackey lowered his ERA to 3.13, joining a spirited competition atop the leaderboard. Cleveland’s Fausto Carmona leads at 3.07, followed by Oakland’s Dan Haren at 3.12, then Lackey, then two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana of Minnesota at 3.14.

Lackey preferred to talk about the prospect of October, not the prospect of winning an ERA title.

“It doesn’t much matter,” he said. “The playoffs are the ones that count.”

And their Game 1 starter is hot at right time. In his last five starts, he has a 2.15 ERA, with six walks and 37 strikeouts.

He carried a no-hitter into the fifth inning, a shutout into the ninth.

The crowd buzzed as Lackey strode from the dugout, at 100 pitches. But the leadoff batter, B.J. Upton, doubled. So, with the potential tying run due up, Scioscia called on Rodriguez. Lackey departed to a standing ovation.

“He might have had eight to 10 pitches more in him,” Scioscia said. “With Frankie ready, it didn’t make sense to let him keep going. If we had a little more of a buffer, John might have had an opportunity to finish the game.”

Rodriguez struck out two, but Jorge Velandia singled home Upton to end the shutout. Rodriguez then struck out Josh Wilson to end the game, securing his 36th save and Lackey’s 17th victory.

The Angels manufactured both of their runs. In the first inning, Chone Figgins singled, stole second base and continued to third on a throwing error, then scored on a wild pitch. In the sixth, Garret Anderson doubled -- his third hit -- and eventually scored when Howie Kendrick hustled to beat the relay on an apparent double-play grounder.

In the fourth inning, after Lackey had recorded 10 consecutive outs without a ball leaving the infield, Delmon Young hit a ground ball toward shortstop Orlando Cabrera. The play was a difficult one, but official scorer Ed Munson ruled an error.

So the no-hitter stayed intact, but not for long. With one out in the fifth, Velandia doubled.

And, not long after the double, Munson announced a scoring change. He withdrew the error and awarded Young a single. He said the change resulted from discussion with both benches, not from the end of the no-hitter.

“I told Scioscia to get it changed to a hit,” Lackey said. “Orlando has a great chance to win a Gold Glove. He doesn’t need that.”

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bill.shaikin@latimes.com

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Magic number

4 Combination of Angels wins and Seattle losses that will clinch the West (H: Home games left. A: Road games left.)

*--* WEST W L PCT GB H A ANGELS 89 62 589 -- 5 6 Seattle 80 70 533 8 1/2 6 6 *--*