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 expected 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.

The Angels were 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.

In the end, winning three of four is what is important to a club trying to get out of last place.

``It's kind of been like that the last couple of years,'' Lackey said about playing against the Royals. ``We usually beat them, but they always play us well. It's a situation where we kind of find ways to win in the end.''

Blame the Angels' untidy brand of baseball lately on the worst defense in the American League. The Angels continue to be their own worst enemy, as two more errors gave them an AL-leading 51.

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

The Angels now take on the San Diego Padres, one of the hotter teams in the National League and one that has the capability to cause the Angels some real problems.

Just more than a week ago, the Angels thought they had resolved their hitting woes. 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 Napoli and Kendry Morales were keeping things moving along toward the back end of the order.

But they have had trouble sustaining it.

While small ball and situational hitting have 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. 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 had delivered his worst start this season in his previous outing.

On Saturday, in the middle of a three-game sweep by the Seattle Mariners, Lackey gave up a season-high eight runs on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings, but he allowed one run and four hits in seven innings Thursday. Had it not been for the unearned run off Cabrera's first-inning error, Lackey would have put in his third scoreless outing of the season.

After the Royals' Mark Grudzielanek got a one-out single in the first, Doug Mientkiewicz hit a ground ball to Morales at first base. Morales threw to Cabrera at second base for the force out, but the ball tipped off his glove for an error.

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

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 gave the Angels 47 this season, already moving them past last season's total of 45.

``Until we get our offense going to where we're scoring runs at a better pace than we have been, especially this series, you're going to look at any play that isn't made,'' manager Mike Scioscia said. ``We had a couple tonight and obviously that made it a little more difficult for us.''

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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