The Los Angeles Angels began the day by making a big trade and capped their night with John Lackey’s near no-hitter.
Baseball’s top team has a lot to be excited about.
Hours after the AL West leaders acquired slugger Mark Teixeira, Lackey came within two outs of a no-hitter Tuesday night in a 6-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
The right-hander appeared headed for the history books until Dustin Pedroia grounded a sharp single to left with one out in the ninth inning. Kevin Youkilis followed with a home run that spoiled the shutout bid, but Lackey finished a two-hitter to help the Angels (66-40) improve the best record in the big leagues.
“We’re a different team than in years past,” reliever Scot Shields said. “We have the total package.”
Teixeira is about to become a major part of that package. Two days before the non-waiver trade deadline, Los Angeles fetched the switch-hitting first baseman from the fading Atlanta Braves in a blockbuster deal.
With their sights set firmly on the World Series, the Angels sent first baseman Casey Kotchman and minor league pitcher Steve Marek to Atlanta for Teixeira, who can become a free agent after the season.
“The Angels have always been one of the best teams in the league,” Teixeira said. “They’ve always had great pitching, great defense and find a way to win games. I want to be the one who hopefully gets them over the top.”
In other AL games, it was: Baltimore 7, New York 6; Detroit 8, Cleveland 5; Tampa Bay 3, Toronto 0; Texas 11, Seattle 10; Minnesota 6, Chicago 5; and Kansas City 5, Oakland 2.
The Angels have an 11 1/2-game cushion in the AL West, by far the most commanding lead for any first-place team. But they were more concerned with setting up a roster that can go all the way in October.
Teixeira is batting .283 with 20 home runs and 78 RBIs. He joins Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter in a lineup that ranks in the bottom half of the American League in average, homers and runs.
“Our goal is to win a world championship,” general manager Tony Reagins said. “The team is playing well at this point, but being able to add a player like Mark Teixeira just makes us that much better.”
Teixeira booked a Wednesday flight to Boston and figures to be at Fenway Park in plenty of time to play in the series finale. Even without him, Los Angeles looked awfully good Tuesday.
Garret Anderson hit a two-run homer off Clay Buchholz (2-6), and Lackey almost became the first visiting pitcher in 50 years to toss a no-hitter at Fenway, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Hall of Famer Jim Bunning did it for Detroit on July 20, 1958.
The AL leader in ERA last season, Lackey (9-2) struck out four and walked two in his 12th career complete game and second this year. He missed the first six weeks of the season with a strained triceps.
As he left the field, he received polite applause from the remnants of a sold-out crowd.
“A no-hitter would have been nice,” Lackey said. “You know what’s going on, but it wasn’t affecting me. I just wanted to win the game.”
Red Sox fans are growing accustomed to great pitching performances. The past two major league no-hitters were thrown by Boston pitchers at Fenway Park, immortalized by John Updike as a “lyric little bandbox.”
Jon Lester’s gem in May followed Buchholz’s no-hitter last September in his second big league start.
The Angels have won 11 of 13. They are 7-1 with seven straight wins this year against Boston, which fell two games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.
Lackey won Game 7 of the 2002 World Series as a rookie, but the Angels’ recent playoff history hasn’t been as good. They were swept by Boston in the first round in 2004 and ’07 – both times the Red Sox went on to win the World Series.
Rays 3, Blue Jays 0
At Toronto, Matt Garza (9-6) threw a five-hitter for his first career shutout and Tampa Bay beat Roy Halladay (12-8) for the third time in three games this season. Eric Hinske hit a solo homer and Evan Longoria added a two-run triple.
Orioles 7, Yankees 6
At New York, Daniel Cabrera pitched into the eighth inning before being ejected and Aubrey Huff had four RBIs to help Baltimore win its third straight.
Kevin Millar homered as the Orioles clinched their first series win since taking two of three against the Cubs from June 24-26 at Wrigley Field. Cabrera (7-6) improved to 3-0 with a 3.15 ERA in three starts against New York this year.
The Yankees scored three runs in the ninth to pull within one but George Sherrill struck out Robinson Cano and Wilson Betemit with a runner on second to end the game.
Alex Rodriguez hit his 22nd homer for New York, which has lost three straight after winning its first eight games following the All-Star break. Rodriguez homered in the sixth and Cabrera hit him with his first pitch when he came up in the eighth. Plate umpire Chad Fairchild promptly tossed Cabrera.
Tigers 8, Indians 5
At Cleveland, Brandon Inge homered and drove in three runs to back Armando Galarraga (9-4), who is 3-0 against the Indians this year. Miguel Cabrera homered and Edgar Renteria had a two-run double.
Twins 6, White Sox 5
At Minneapolis, Justin Morneau’s three-run double capped a five-run fifth that rallied Minnesota from a four-run deficit. The Twins moved within a half-game of Chicago, which has been atop the AL Central since May 17. Joe Nathan gave up a solo homer to Nick Swisher in the ninth before earning his 29th save.
Rangers 11, Mariners 10
At Arlington, Texas, Ramon Vazquez made up for three errors with a two-run double off J.J. Putz (2-4) in the ninth that won it for the Rangers, who wasted a seven-run lead after three innings. Marlon Byrd homered and drove in four runs as Texas compensated for a season-high five errors with 18 hits.
Royals 5, Athletics 2
At Oakland, Calif., Mike Aviles and John Buck homered to back seven strong innings by Gil Meche (9-9) as Kansas City won its fourth consecutive road game. The A’s have lost 11 of 13 overall.
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