ANGELS `BREAK' COMES EARLY BIG INNING DOOMS LACKEY SEATTLE 6, ANGELS 3.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The All-Star break is just a day away, a chance for players to get a little R&R, spend time with family and just relax. By all outward appearances, it seems that the Angels have extended their time off by a few days, going on vacation just a little early.

For the third night in a row, the Angels were outplayed by the last-place Seattle Mariners, with Saturday's 6-3 loss cutting the Angels' American League West lead to six games over the Texas Rangers. It's their smallest lead in the division since being up by 5 1/2 games on June 25.

The Angels had not lost three games in a row in two months, when they lost two to the Tigers and one to the Indians June 7-9. It's also their longest losing streak of the season. The Angels haven't been swept in a series all season, but need a victory today to avoid their first.

``I don't think we expected to run away with anything,'' Angels second baseman Adam Kennedy said, referring to the division race. ``The fact we've had the lead we've had isn't surprising, but we expect Texas, Oakland and (Seattle) to be there. They're not just going to fade away.''

Starting pitchers Bartolo Colon and Jarrod Washburn struggled to get outs in the first two games of the series, and Saturday it was John Lackey's turn. Lackey (6-4) went seven innings, putting up six zeroes along the way.

The Mariners did all their damage with a five-run fifth, beating the Angels at their own game - with a persistent, unrelenting attack. The Mariners had 12 hits in the game, none of which were home runs and only two going for extra bases.

``You talk about the last three games, but our starting pitchers have given us a chance to win ballgames virtually every night,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ``It's gotten a little out of hand the last three nights, but all in all, we haven't lost an ounce of confidence in the starting pitching, which is the heartbeat of our club. They'll be there for us.''

The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Jose Molina singled, when to third on Chone Figgins' double and scored on a groundout by Darin Erstad. The lead only lasted until the fifth, when Lackey was revisited by an old nemesis - the big inning.

Only a couple of hours before Saturday's game, Scioscia explained that Lackey could avoid the big inning by focusing pitch to pitch, and not looking too far ahead.

The Mariners got six hits during a seven at-bat stretch in the fifth inning, scoring five runs for a 5-1 lead. Mike Morse, Randy Winn and Raul Ibanez each had RBI singles and Richie Sexson added a two-run double in the inning, during which the Mariners batted around.

``Lots of singles,'' Lackey said. ``For the most part I felt I threw the ball fine. They're pretty hot right now. I would have liked to make a pitch and get out of the inning instead of giving up five, but you have to give them credit. They've been doing that the whole series.

``It's not like I got crushed. There were a lot of singles by a hot team.''

Early on, Lackey was nearly unhittable. Striking out Sexson to end the first and Ichiro Suzuki to end the third - a streak of six consecutive batters. Lackey's early success forced him to throw a lot of pitches - 59 by the end of the third inning.

Lackey managed to gather himself and go seven innings, making 114 pitches, but the five runs he allowed marked his third consecutive start in which he's allowed as many, raising his ERA to 4.22.

Mariners starter Ryan Franklin (5-10) held the Angels to two runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings to get the victory, the third consecutive by a Mariners starter in the series.

``Much like the Dodgers, they throw a good arm out there every game,'' Scioscia said. ``They have the ability to shut some good offenses down.''

Joe Haakenson, [phone]

joe.haakenson(at)sgvn.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, 4 boxes

Photo:

Angels second baseman Adam Kennedy (2) can't make the tag as Seattle's Willie Bloomquist steals second in the fifth inning Saturday.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Box:

(1) ANGELS vs. SEATTLE

- Joe Haakenson

(2) GAME RECAP

(3) HOW THE RUNS SCORED

(4) ALMANAC