ONCE AGAIN, NO SUPPORT DESPITE A SOLID EFFORT BY LACKEY, ANGELS LOSE AGAIN SAN FRANCISCO 3, ANGELS 2.

Byline: DOUG PADILLA Staff Writer

SAN FRANCISCO -- John Lackey followed Kelvim Escobar as Angels pitchers who deserved a better fate.

Lackey pitched well against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday and had to accept a defeat when the Angels were edged 3-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 40,887 at AT&T Park.

It was similar to Monday's series opener when Escobar gave up two runs in seven innings but couldn't match the no-hitter Giants starter Matt Cain took into the eighth inning.

Lackey's effort followed his outing on Thursday when he didn't give up an earned run in seven innings against the Kansas City Royals and still wound up with a no decision.

Escobar has given up just two earned runs in each of his last four outings and doesn't have a single victory to show for it. In fact, the right-hander has lost his last six decisions.

And then there is today's starter Jeff Weaver, who has turned a corner of late. He hasn't given up more then three earned runs in his last six starts and has four defeats over that span.

Angels pitchers might need a psychiatrist to go along with their pitching coach.

``I think the only thing that a pitcher can control is executing pitches and getting as many outs as you can,'' manager Mike Scioscia said when asked if frustration was mounting. ``You can't control how many runs your team scores. I'm sure it's frustrating.''

Pitchers are the ones headed for the straitjackets now, but it was the Angels hitters in that role before the team won the 2002 World Series. ``Over the time we've been here we've seen it both ways where on the offensive side our guys were pounding the ball early and we didn't quite have the pitching to match it,'' Scioscia said. ``Our first couple of years here we were losing some games by bigger scores that were frustrating for the offensive guys.

``Right now the pitching side of it, we're having a little trouble scoring runs to support it. Natural frustration can be there but these guys also understand how hard the guys are trying.

They're going to keep going there and pitching well.''

How well was Lackey pitching Tuesday? Scioscia let him bat in the sixth inning with two outs and the tying run at second base even though he entered the at-bat 0-for-13 in interleague play.

The Giants took a 2-0 lead in the second inning and it was poor defense that again caused problems. Ray Durham lead off by reaching first base when Adam Kennedy fielded a ground ball to his right but dropped the ball as he prepared to throw it to first base.

Lackey then had Durham picked off at first base but Kendry Morales' throw to Orlando Cabrera at second base was wide and Cabrera's spinning tag was late. After Steve Finley and Pedro Feliz were retired, Eliezer Alfonzo was walked intentionally to get to pitcher Matt Morris.

But Morris shot a line drive down the right-field line for a two-run double.

Lackey proceeded to settle down and after a two-out walk to Durham in the third inning, he retired 11 consecutive batters before Alfonzo doubled with one out in the seventh. He scored on a Randy Winn bloop single down the left-field line for a 3-1 Giants lead.

The Angels scored their first run in the sixth inning after Mike Napoli led off by getting hit by a pitch. He scored on a two-out Kennedy double to left field. Tim Salmon had been on deck to bat for Lackey, but the pitcher was allowed to take his hacks after Kennedy's RBI and he popped out to shortstop.

Napoli cut the Giants' lead to 3-2 in the eighth with a solo home run to center, his seventh of the season. A single and error put two runners on before a Kennedy fielder's choice gave them a first-and-third situation with two outs. Juan Rivera batted for Lackey but struck out looking.

Lackey went seven innings, giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

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Photo:

Angels catcher Mike Napoli, right, reaches out for the throw at home plate as the San Francisco's Ray Durham, left, and Eliezer Alfonzo come in to score during the second inning.

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

Box:

ANGELS at SAN FRANCISCO

- Doug Padilla