TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -Angels ace John Lackey showed why he gets paid to pitch and not hit in his spring debut.
Lackey did just about everything right in Los Angeles’ 12-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Monday while on the mound, throwing two innings of hitless ball.
“The arm felt great,” Lackey said. “I didn’t throw the ball inside for strikes like I needed to, but other than that, it was a pretty good place to start.”
The Angels ace retired all six batters he faced, with one strikeout.
Lackey had such an easy time he went to the bullpen after his designated two innings to throw a 10-pitch bullpen session.
At the plate, though, Lackey barely moved the bat off his shoulder during a three-pitch strikeout.
“(I was) told not to swing at anything,” Lackey said, laughing. “It would have cost me something.”
The Angels have good reason to protect Lackey. He missed the first six weeks of the 2008 season because of a strained triceps.
ho ended up going 12-5 with a 3.75 ERA, said he spent extra time on an exercise program to strengthen his elbow and shoulder as a preventative measure.
“I have not felt any pain going back to last spring,” Lackey said.
While Lackey barely broke a sweat, Colorado starting pitcher Franklin Morales was rocked for seven runs on nine hits.
Angels’ catcher Jeff Mathis had two homers among the seven extra-base hits Morales allowed. Mathis went 2-for-2 with three RBI.
“I’m not frustrated at all. I know anybody can have a bad day,” Morales said through an interpreter. “I understand that as long as I am able to command the fastball on both sides of the plate it is going to be fine. Mentally and physically I am in a good place right now.”
Morales, after throwing two shutout innings against the Chicago White Sox in his first spring appearance, gave up a third homer to Brandon Wood.
Wood, who was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, also had a run-scoring double.
The Rockies left-handed pitcher is among the candidates to earn the final spot in the starting rotation.
“I am not concerned about (the starting job) because I can’t control that,” Morales said. “The biggest thing is I feel good mentally and physically and just had a rough outing and have to move on. I am not going to lose sleep about it because it is out of my control.”
not get a hit until Yorvit Torrealba had a single in the fifth. Matt Murton had a two-run homer.
The Angels’ Adam Pavkovich went 3-for-5 with four RBIs. Andrew Romine also had three hits.
Notes: Los Angeles center fielder Reggie Willits was scratched with tightness in his abductor muscle of his left leg. The third year player is 2-for-6 with an RBI so far this spring.
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