OH BOY, 300 FOR TROY PERCIVAL REACHES MILESTONE, STEALS SPOTLIGHT FROM LACKEY ANGELS 2, TEXAS 0.Byline: Gabe Lacques Staff Writer ANAHEIM - John Lackey John Derran Lackey (born October 23, 1978, in Abilene, Texas) is a major league baseball starting pitcher from Abilene, Texas. He has played for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim his entire career. was the star Wednesday night. The champagne was reserved for Troy Percival Troy Eugene Percival (born August 9, 1969 in Fontana, California) is a Major League Baseball reliever on the St. Louis Cardinals. Percival came out of retirement on June 8, 2007 when he signed a minor league deal with the Cardinals[1]. . Lackey, taking a cue from Bartolo Colon the night before, dominated the Texas Rangers Texas Rangers, mounted fighting force organized (1835) during the Texas Revolution. During the republic they became established as the guardians of the Texas frontier, particularly against Native Americans. , taking a shutout into the ninth inning before giving way to Percival. The venerable Angels closer finally recorded his 300th career save, recording two outs to nail down the 2-0 win over the Rangers. After Percival, the Angels closer since 1996, got Mark Teixeira to ground out to first base to end it, the Angels flooded out of the dugout to congratulate their 34-year-old teammate, who survived a month-long stint on the disabled list before achieving the milestone through. Later, his fellow pitchers filled plastic cups with champagne and toasted around Percival's clubhouse stall. Percival made sure closer-in-waiting Francisco Rodriguez Francisco Rodriguez may refer to:
But even if Rodriguez records 291 more saves, it's likely he won't go through the same Angels experience Percival has in becoming just the 18th major-league pitcher to reach 300. ``I've seen four uniform changes, a bunch of manager changes, ownership changes,'' said Percival, who will be a free agent after this season. ``I've been here through it all. It wasn't the easiest 300th in the world.'' He has the scars on his elbow to prove it. That surgically repaired joint wailed in May, when Percival began a month-long stint on the disabled list, and 300 seemed miles away. But after blowing four saves early in the season, he hasn't blown one since returning from the disabled list, and Wednesday's contribution was particularly meaningful. The Angels (54-47) moved within three games of the Rangers (56-43) in the American League West The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. and are 1 1/2 games behind In sports, the phrase games behind, often abbreviated as GB in tables, is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division. second-place Oakland. The Angels beat Texas by a 2-0 score for the second consecutive night. While the Athletics and Rangers engage in a four-game battle in Texas this weekend, the Angels welcome in the Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Mariners have played in Safeco Field. , who on Wednesday lost their 15th consecutive road game. Lackey (9-9) made sure the Angels will be poised on the edge of first place. He gave up just three hits in 8 1/3 innings, striking out seven and coming within two outs of his second shutout this season. When manager Mike Scioscia ``It couldn't have worked out any better,'' said Lackey, who won for the fourth time in five starts. ``It's unbelievable to have played with that guy, to be involved in a game he reaches that milestone. It's just an honor to be involved with that.'' It would have taken a perfect game to beat Lackey. He was perfect through three innings, capping that run with a strikeout of Gerald Laird Gerald Lee Laird III (born November 13, 1979 in Westminster, California) is a Major League Baseball player for the Texas Rangers. Laird was originally a second round draft choice of the Oakland A's in 1998, and was traded to the Rangers before the 2002 season, along with Ryan , Adam Kennedy's pregame combatant a night earlier. That fastball hit 96 mph, his hardest of the night. ``I wouldn't call it a coincidence,'' Lackey said with a chuckle. He struck out the side in the fourth after two singles and cruised home. He needed just six pitches in the sixth inning and seven in the seventh and retired 13 in a row, including Michael Young to lead off the ninth. But a one-out walk to Hank Blalock Hank Joe Blalock (born November 21, 1980 in San Diego, California) is a Major League baseball third baseman who currently plays for the Texas Rangers. Hank Blalock has recently been diagnosed with Thoracic outlet syndrome. In some circles Hank is known as "The Block. convinced Scioscia that he'd had enough. In came Percival, who got Alfonso Soriano Alfonso Guilleard Soriano (born January 7, 1976 in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs. Before joining the Cubs in 2007, he played for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, and Washington Nationals. to flail at a full-count pitch in the dirt. After Teixeira grounded to first base to end it, the Angels rumbled out of the dugout to congratulate him. He began the season with 283 saves, the same as Mariano Rivera Mariano Rivera (born November 29, 1969, in Panama City, Panama) is a Panamanian baseball player. He is a relief pitcher for Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. He throws and bats right-handed. . But the Yankees closer roared by the 300 mark in May. ``I envisioned me going out and getting 17 for 17, getting it out of the way,'' he said. Seventeen for 21 will have to do. Not that the Angels are complaining. ``He's going to start getting the due he deserves,'' Scioscia said, ``as one of the top closers in the game. Rivera's name pops up first. (Percival's) career has almost been a mirror image. That puts him in an elite class.'' Gabe Lacques, (626) 962-8811 gabe.lacques(at)sgvn.com CAPTION(S): photo, 2 boxes Photo: (color) Angels closer Troy Percival tips his cap to fans at Angel Stadium after he notched his 300th career save in a 2-0 win over Texas on Wednesday. Matt Sayles/Associated Press Box: (1) CAREER SAVE LEADERS (2) GAME RECAP |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion