Angels Complete Sweep Of Yanks

Yankee Stadium is home to a team full of All-Stars, 26 World Series championships and some of baseball's most memorable moments. None of that matters to John Lackey and the Los Angeles Angels. ``I

Monday, May 28th 2007, 3:25 pm

By: News On 6

Yankee Stadium is home to a team full of All-Stars, 26 World Series championships and some of baseball's most memorable moments. None of that matters to John Lackey and the Los Angeles Angels. ``I really enjoy pitching here. I can't speak for everyone,'' the big right-hander said. ``We're not intimidated.'' The Angels certainly didn't seem to be. Lackey (8-3) earned his major league-leading eighth victory and Los Angeles barely had to swing the bat during a seventh-inning rally Sunday that gave the Angels a 4-3 victory over the New York Yankees and a three-game sweep.

``We play them well,'' said Angels bench coach Ron Roenicke, who ran the team while manager Mike Scioscia attended his son's high school graduation. ``That's because we have great pitching.''

The Yankees can't say the same these days. The Angels posted their first sweep at Yankee Stadium since 2004, winning when New York reliever Scott Proctor (0-2) couldn't find the plate. He issued bases-loaded walks to pinch-hitter Erick Aybar and Chone Figgins that let Los Angeles rally for three runs in the seventh for a 4-2 lead.

``Two bases-loaded walks, not real good odds on that,'' Roenicke said. ``That wasn't really in my mind.''

In other AL games, it was: Baltimore 8, Oakland 4; Tampa Bay 11, Chicago 5; Boston 6, Texas 5; Minnesota 4, Toronto 2; Seattle 7, Kansas City 4; and Cleveland 5, Detroit 3.

At New York, the AL West-leading Angels picked up their ninth victory in 11 games as Lackey improved to 3-3 with a 3.95 ERA in six career regular-season starts at Yankee Stadium. He gave up five hits over eight innings and escaped his biggest jam by getting Hideki Matsui to ground out to strand runners on second and third in the seventh.

The Angels had to hold on again in the ninth when Francisco Rodriguez retired Derek Jeter on a fly ball with a runner on third for the last out.

``It could be the worst hitter in the world. It could be the best hitter,'' Rodriguez said. ``I treat every hitter with the same respect.''

New York lost for the seventh time in 10 games and dropped a season-high six games below .500. The Yankees fell 12 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL East _ their biggest deficit since 1995, when they trailed by up to 16 games in late August.

``We're not giving up,'' Jeter said. ``We had an opportunity there. We couldn't do it.''

Orioles 8, Athletics 4

At Baltimore, Miguel Tejada, Melvin Mora and Nick Markakis homered for the Orioles, who overcame Nick Swisher's three-run shot.

Joe Blanton (4-3) had allowed six homers in 67 2-3 innings before yielding three in six innings against Baltimore's rejuvenated attack.

Daniel Cabrera (4-5) allowed four runs, five hits and four walks in six innings for the Orioles.

Devil Rays 11, White Sox 5

Carl Crawford hit a go-ahead RBI triple in the seventh inning for visiting Tampa Bay to back Scott Kazmir, who won for the third time in 17 starts dating to last season.

Ty Wigginton and Carlos Pena homered and Tampa Bay came from behind to win for the 17th time. The Devil Rays tied a season high with 15 hits, including four by B.J. Upton.

Kazmir (3-2) allowed four runs and scattered eight hits in seven innings, while striking out seven and walking three. Javier Vazquez (2-3) allowed five runs and eight hits in 6 2-3 innings.

Red Sox 6, Rangers 5

J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell hit RBI singles in the eighth and Boston held on to complete a three-game sweep on the road.

Kevin Youkilis singled off Akinori Otsuka (1-1) to lead off the eighth. Youkilis stole second and scored on Drew's single to tie it at 4. Lowell then drove a single to left field that scored Drew and put the Red Sox ahead 5-4. Dustin Pedroia added his second homer of the year in the ninth.

Jason Varitek also homered for Boston, which has the best record in baseball.

Joel Pineiro (1-0) got out of a jam in the seventh to pick up the win.

Twins 4, Blue Jays 2

Carlos Silva ended a personal four-game losing streak and Justin Morneau homered and drove in three runs for Minnesota.

Silva (3-5) allowed six hits and struck out three in 7 1-3 innings, and the Twins won at home for just the third time in eight games.

A.J. Burnett (5-4) allowed three hits in eight innings for Toronto. With two outs in the third, Burnett walked Michael Cuddyer to load the bases. Morneau followed with a high chopper that Burnett barehanded to the right of the mound, but his throw to first was high and wide, allowing two runs to score.

Mariners 7, Royals 4

Jarrod Washburn (5-4) gave up four hits and three runs, Jose Vidro and Raul Ibanez drove in two runs each and Seattle completed a three-game sweep at Kansas City.

J.J. Putz got three outs for his 12th save in as many chances. Ichiro Suzuki had two singles, including an RBI single off Odalis Perez (2-5), to extend his hitting streak to 20 games.

Indians 5, Tigers 3

Ryan Garko hit a three-run homer in the first inning, Casey Blake had a solo shot in the fifth and Cleveland finished off a three-game sweep at Detroit.

The Indians came to Detroit trailing by a half-game in the AL Central and left in first place by a season-high 2 1/2-games.

Fausto Carmona (6-1) gave up three runs and nine hits over seven innings. Mike Maroth (3-2) allowed five runs and six hits in eight innings.