SOMETHING IS LACK-ING ANGELS GO-TO POSTSEASON STARTER ROUGHED UP BY CHISOX.

Byline: Keven Chavez Staff Writer

ANAHEIM - The Angels bullpen performed at their usual level of excellence in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Friday.

But it didn't really matter - not after an unusually poor performance by starter John Lackey.

The postseason has been Lackey's time, from his Game 7 victory in the 2002 World Series to a strong 5 2/3-inning stint on three days' rest against the New York Yankees in Game 4 of the Division Series on Sunday.

But the Chicago White Sox wasted little time in knocking around the Angels' playoff hero, needing just four batters to put three runs on the scoreboard en route to an easy 5-2 victory, which ended Lackey's run of October dominance.

``I definitely wanted to come out and pitch better,'' said Lackey, who took his first career postseason loss. ``It just didn't happen.''

Scott Podsednik led off the game with a solid single to left and Tadahito Iguchi sacrificed him to second. Jermaine Dye followed with a line-drive double to the right-center field wall to score Podsednik.

Then Chicago first baseman Paul Konerko delivered the big blow, crushing a full-count hanging curveball over the wall in left field for a 3-0 White Sox lead that effectively took the air out of the Angel Stadium crowd and their ThunderStix.

``I think (Dye's) hit was big, and if you can get some hits early, it kind of takes the crowd out of it,'' Konerko said. ``And that's what happened.''

Said Lackey: ``I just hung a couple of breaking balls. I have no excuses other than that.''

It wasn't the sort of postseason performance the Angels have come to expect from the 26-year-old right-hander.

Lackey entered the game with a 2-0 record and 2.41 ERA over seven postseason games. That includes two no-decisions from the recent Division Series against New York, in which Lackey gave up just three earned runs over 11 1/3 innings.

He gave up five earned runs in just five innings Friday.

Konerko got his third RBI on a fifth-inning single. Two innings prior, Carl Everett hit an RBI single, but Lackey was bailed out from further damage when Aaron Rowand's third-inning line drive with two runners on base found shortstop Orlando Cabrera's glove for an inning-ending double play.

Lackey's past two starts - a 78-pitch effort against New York and Friday's 83-pitch outing - were his lowest pitch counts of the season.

``John wasn't as crisp from the get-go tonight or as crisp as he has been,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ``(John) wasn't awful, but he obviously wasn't as crisp as he was against the Yankees.''

Not awful was not exactly the evaluation Lackey was seeking in debut performance as the ace. But he'll likely get the call in Game 7 - if the series is extended that far.

``We've got a couple of games back here at our house and we've got to get back to playing better baseball,'' Lackey said. ``I just hope I get another opportunity.''