L.A. OPENS WITH A SPLITTER BULLPEN IS MIGHTY FOR ANGELS ANGELS 4, TEXAS 1.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA 

Staff Writer

ANAHEIM -- The Angels celebrated their bullpen of the past, then sat back and watched why their bullpen of the present might just be one of the best in the game.

Troy Percival threw out the honorary first pitch before Monday's opener, but the current crop of relievers, led by Justin Speier, Scot Shields and Francisco Rodriguez, gave the opening-night crowd of 43,906 even more to cheer about.

The back end of the Angels' bullpen retired the last 11 batters it faced, collecting 12 outs in the process, and closed out a 4-1 victory over the Texas Rangers.

"We're not going to be able to get 12 outs a night from Justin, Scotty and Frankie," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "It was a special night tonight. Since they were rested, we had that luxury."

Speier came on in the sixth inning after Darren Oliver allowed the only two batters he faced to reach base. Speier got Gerald Laird to pop up a bunt and then got Ian Kinsler to line out into a double play on a less-than- ideal slider.

Shields and Rodriguez handled their business as well, with Rodriguez now 1 for 1 in save opportunities after setting the franchise record with 47 saves last season.

Speier wasn't the only Angel to have a memorable debut. Garry Matthews Jr. went against the wall in center to make a catch and end a first-inning scoring threat, then atoned for a third-inning error by making a sliding catch to halt another Rangers scoring chance later that inning.

"That's why we got him," mouthed starter John Lackey as he left the mound following the first Matthews catch.

"He made two terrific plays that definitely could have swung the game," Lackey said. "It definitely gives you confidence to have a guy like that back there."

At the plate Matthews went 1for3 with a walk and scored a run. Shea Hillenbrand, the Angels' new designated hitter, delivered an insurance run with an eighth-inning single.

Before the Angels bullpen stood out, shaky glove work had been the theme of Opening Day. Matthews' error came in a 31-pitch inning for Lackey that ultimately forced the right-hander to end his night after five innings and 96pitches.

An error by catcher Mike Napoli in the third, when he couldn't hang on to an Ian Kinsler foul popup at the screen, turned into Lackey's only run. Kinsler used the opportunity to crush a home run to center field.

The Angels also took advantage of some Rangers miscues. Vladimir Guerrero gave the Angels a 1-0 lead in the first inning with a double to score Matthews. Casey Kotchman made it 2-0 in the second when his home run grazed Kenny Lofton's glove before bouncing over the wall.

Kotchman, who sat out most of last season with mononucleosis, already has matched his entire home run output from 2006. His lone homer last year came May 4 at Detroit, five days before he went on the disabled list for good.

Lackey (1-0) gave up his unearned run on four hits with four walks and five strikeouts. While he admitted to being careful with some of the Rangers' power threats, the bullpen was in attack mode.

Speier cautions against expecting this kind of efficiency every time.

"It's too early to tell," Speier said when asked how good this bullpen can be. "Sure, there are track records and the guys have pitched and had good years in the past. But it's Day 1 right now, so we'll see."

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) The Angels and Texas Rangers exchange pleasantries during Opening Day festivities at Angel Stadium. The Angels won Monday's game.

(2 -- color) Troy Percival, who signed a minor-league contract Monday before retiring with the Angels, throws out the first pitch.

Keith Birmingham/Staff Photographer