ANGELS GOOD ENOUGH THEY STRUGGLE AGAINST ROYALS, BUT END UP TAKING THREE OF FOUR ANGELS 3, KANSAS CITY 2 (10).

Byline: DOUG PADILLA Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- The Kansas City Royals were supposed to represent the kind of fortuitous scheduling break the Angels needed, but instead caused nothing but problems over an entire four-game series.

The laughingstock of the league was supposed to roll over and play nice, but the Angels struggled to a one-run victory in the series opener, rode the hot hand of Jered Weaver for a victory in the second game and dropped the third game when their offense went to sleep after the second inning.

Then the Angels went scratching and clawing again in the finale Thursday before finally winning 3-2 in the 10th inning on a walk-off single by Orlando Cabrera that scored Mike Napoli. Cabrera had two hits to extend his on-base streak to 45 games.

The Angels continue to be their own worst enemy, as two errors Thursday gave them an American League-leading 51 this season.

A Cabrera error in the first inning allowed the Royals to take a 1-0 lead, and a Jose Molina throwing error allowed them to tie it 2-2 in the eighth inning.

The Angels now move on to face the San Diego Padres, one of the hotter teams in the National League, which might cause the Angels even more problems.

Just over a week ago, the Angels thought they had resolved their hitting problems. There were runs aplenty on the last road trip, including three victories in which they scored in double digits.

Chone Figgins was stealing bases, Cabrera was always on the bases and rookies Kendry Morales and Napoli were keeping things moving along toward the back end of the lineup.

But batting order unity simply has no sustainability when it comes to Mike Scioscia's team.

While small ball and situational hitting has been missing of late, Vladimir Guerrero keeps delivering his fair share. Guerrero hit a two-run home run in the third inning.

The leading vote getter among outfielders for the American League now has 16 home runs and 54 RBIs this season. He is on pace to hit 37 home runs with 136 RBIs.

If any group is not to blame for the Angels being less than sharp of late, it is the starting pitching. John Lackey recovered nicely Thursday after he delivered his worst start this season in his previous outing. On Saturday, during a three-game sweep by the Mariners, Lackey gave up a season-high eight runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Had it not been for the unearned run from Cabrera's first-inning error, Lackey would have put in his third scoreless outing of the season.

After the Royals' Mark Grudzielanek had a one-out single in the first, Doug Mientkiewicz hit a ground ball to Morales at first base. Morales stepped inside the running lane and threw to Cabrera at second base for the forceout, but the ball tipped off Cabrera's glove for an error.

``No ... more ... errors,'' came a plea from the upper deck after the gasps and boos had died down.

Matt Stairs gave the Royals a 1-0 lead with a two-out double to right.

``Well, we have made a couple of mistakes with some games on the line,'' Cabrera said earlier this week. ``I don't feel like we're struggling defensively. You see us making a lot of web gems, or whatever you guys want to call it, because we've been aggressive. That's going to happen.

``We just need to be more focused and concentrate more on what we're doing. Defense wins games sometimes too. We need to put more focus and concentrate on what we're doing; try to make the plays.''

After giving up back-to-back singles in the second inning, Lackey proceeded to retire 14 consecutive batters before Emil Brown walked to open the seventh. While his outing certainly was deserving of a victory, Lackey ended up with his sixth no-decision of the season.

The two unearned runs allowed gave the Angels 47 this season, already moving them past last season's entire total of 45.

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Photo:

The Angels' Chone Figgins, right, is safe at second base on a ground ball by Vladimir Guerrero. Royals second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, center, throws on to first to retire Guerrero.

Jeff Lewis/Associated Press

Box:

ANGELS vs. SAN DIEGO

-Doug Padilla