GUERRERO KEY IN WIN ANGEL SUPERSTAR HURTS RANGERS ANGELS 5, TEXAS 2.

Byline: Doug Padilla  Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - Angels bats come alive. Vladimir Guerrero is consistently reaching first base and beyond. The Texas Rangers must be in town.

The Angels rallied back on the Rangers early Monday and rode out their lead for a 5-2 victory and of course Guerrero was in the mix. Guerrero had two hits to give him a hit in every game he has played against the Rangers in his career.

Guerrero has suited up against the Rangers 37 times and each time he has managed a hit. It is the longest such streak since divisional play began in 1969, ahead of Ken Griffey's streak of 35 consecutive games against the Cleveland Indians from 1992-96.

And it's not like the contribution is in the form of meaningless singles, as if Guerrero can do anything without making a considerable impact. Guerrero's hits were, in fact, singles but his first drove in a run to put the Angels up by three runs.

"A lot of guys, yeah I'd be surprised but he's not one of them," Angels starter John Lackey said. "When he hits the ball hard it's homers and when you make (tough) pitches on him it's broken-bat singles. He can do everything." During the streak, Guerrero is batting a cool .438 (64- for-146) against the Rangers with 13 home runs and 30 RBI.

But simply hitting well against the Rangers still doesn't manage to do the trick because Texas has a history of handling the bat. Last season, the Rangers led the American League in home runs and total bases.

Lackey took care of that problem in a game televised back to his native Texas. And he wasn't even unnerved by a program airing in the pregame clubhouse that chronicled his accomplishments as a three-sport star in his hometown of Abilene.

"I was trying to avoid it," he said. "I was in the training room back there handling my business, getting ready and stuff but I can hear the boys laughing. I'm sure I'll get some comments tomorrow."

Lackey made up for a lackluster start at Seattle last week by allowing two runs on four hits in seven innings.

The only Rangers runs came when Cal State Fullerton alum Phil Nevin hit a two-run home run to the opposite field in right with two outs in the first inning. After that, Lackey turned downright stingy, giving up just three singles the rest of the way. He never had more than one runner on base at a time.

"That's what we have to do," manager Mike Scioscia said. "Those guys can score runs in a bunch and score them in a hurry. We had to pitch well tonight and John did a great job."

After a Mark Teixeira single to open the fourth inning, Lackey retired 11 consecutive batters before Kevin Mench delivered a two-out single in the seventh.

Lackey, who signed a new three-year contract worth $17.01 million on Opening Day, struck out eight batters and walked just one in his 98-pitch outing.

Rangers starter Kameron Loe, a Chatsworth native who was born in Simi Valley, just couldn't slow the Angels in time. He gave up He gave up a leadoff single to Chone Figgins to start the game and he came around to score on a single by Garret Anderson. An RBI triple by Figgins in the second inning tied the score 2-2 and Orlando Cabrera gave the Angels the lead for good one batter later with a run-scoring bloop single to center. Guerrero's RBI followed.

Adam Kennedy drive in the Angels' final run with a single to center in the third inning.

Scot Shields came on in relief of Lackey and pitched a scoreless inning, followed by Francisco Rodriguez, who allowed a line-drive double off the wall by Kevin Mench, but closed out the victory for his fourth save in four tries.

[e-mail]

[phone], Ext. 2731

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

The Angels' Orlando Cabrera hits a RBI single off Rangers starter Kameron Loe in the second inning Monday's game at Anaheim. The Angels would go on to victory.

Francis Specker/Associated Press

Box:

ANGELS vs. TEXAS

- Doug Padilla