ANGELS MARCHING ON ANAHEIM WINS SIXTH IN ROW AS STRIKE LOOMS ANGELS 5, CLEVELAND 4.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Angels player representative Scott Schoeneweis presided over a players-only meeting in their clubhouse before Friday night's game against the Cleveland Indians to fill them in on the day's events concerning the labor situation.

Minutes later, the Angels were on the field conducting business as usual.

Angels starter John Lackey pitched a strong seven innings and the Angels had 10 hits in a 5-4 victory over the Cleveland Indians before 41,356 at Edison Field, the Angels' sixth win in a row.

It's the third time the Angels have won as many six in a row this season. The other two were eight-game winning streaks. The Angels' lead in the wild-card race is 2 1/2 games over the Oakland A's.

Aware that all of their success this season could become meaningless as soon as Aug. 30 if no labor agreement is in place and the players strike, the Angels conducted themselves as though nothing happened.

``We're not putting a sense of urgency on this, you can't look at it that way,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said before the game. ``There are so many variables. You try to win every game you play. Our approach is the same. Our focus is the same.''

Angels assistant player representative Jarrod Washburn has a chance to become the first Angels pitcher to win 20 games since Nolan Ryan in 1974, as long as there is no strike. So he's trying to keep his mind on the mound.

``Everybody's goal at the start of the season is to have a great year and make the playoffs,'' he said. ``Nothing's changed.''

Lackey (5-2) won his third consecutive start by throwing one of his better games of the season. In seven innings, he gave up one run and six hits, leaving the game with a 5-1 lead in the capable hands of the bullpen, which went into the game ranked second in the AL with a 3.81 ERA.

But the bullpen made things interesting.

Brendan Donnelly, who went into the game having allowed one earned run in his previous 20 innings, faced four batters and couldn't get any of them out. The first three singled to load the bases, and Jim Thome walked to force in a run. Ben Weber replaced Donnelly and got Karim Garcia to hit into a force play, driving in a run to make it 5-3. Matt Lawton followed with an RBI single to cut the Angels' lead to 5-4.

But Weber got what he needed when Travis Fryman hit a one-hopper back to him, and Weber started a 1-4-3 inning-ending double play, giving the ball and the 5-4 lead to closer Troy Percival for the ninth.

Percival struck out the side to end it and earn his 29th save.

The Angels got a jump on the Indians and starter Ryan Drese in the first two innings to go up 4-0.

In the first inning, David Ecksten singled and went to third on Darin Erstad's double. Orlando Palmeiro drove in a run with a grounder to second and Garret Anderson drove in a second run with a grounder to first.

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The Angels' John Lackey pitched seven strong innings to lead Anaheim to a 5-4 victory over Cleveland Friday night. The Angels have won six in a row.

Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press