CLEVELAND - The previous two games the Angels' bullpen performed like the comedian Gallagher - splattering leads like so many watermelons.
They were back to a more familiar magic act Saturday afternoon that had starter John Lackey looking to saw something in half.
"D.O. deserves at least half the win tonight," Lackey said after the Angels' 4-3 victory over the Cleveland Indians. "That was a straight David Copperfield act out there."
Darren Oliver was the escape artist, wriggling his way into and out of a bases-loaded jam with none out in the seventh inning. Scot Shields and Francisco Rodriguez also stranded the tying run in scoring position in the eighth and ninth innings as the Angels protected a one-run lead in the final three innings after Lackey left the stage.
In his first appearance since Wednesday's ninth-inning blown save and ejection, Rodriguez finished things off with his 47th save, tying the franchise record he set in 2006.
"Any time, they get it done it's important to us," Manager Mike Scioscia said, denying any bounce-back value to the bullpen performance following meltdowns by Rodriguez and Justin Speier on Wednesday and Jose Arredondo on Friday.
"It was just important in the context that they got it done and we were able to hold a lead. ... I don't think they have to prove anything by bouncing back. They've been there all year for us."
Lackey hasn't. He spent the first six weeks of the season on the disabled list, but Saturday's effort allowed him to reach double digits in victories. It is the first time in franchise history the Angels have had five starting pitchers with 10 or more victories. They had five pitchers with double-digit victory totals in 1978 but one (Dave LaRoche) did it as a reliever.
Lackey wasn't at his sharpest to get there. He allowed home runs to David Dellucci (solo in the first) and Ryan Garko (two-run shot in the fourth) and came out of the game after six innings, just the fifth time in 17 starts this season he has failed to pitch into the seventh.
But he had the lead thanks to a four-error breakdown by the Indians.
One error and the first of two wild pitches by Indians starter Fausto Carmona led to a run in the first inning. Then in the third, two errors and a wild pitch led to three runs. Stealing third on the wild pitch, Vladimir Guerrero scored all the way from second when Carmona's delivery got away from catcher Kelly Shoppach.
That run was the difference when Oliver took over to start the seventh. But he walked Ben Francisco, gave up a single to Jhonny Peralta and walked Shin Soo Choo.
"Wasn't the first time I've had the bases loaded, no outs. Won't be the last," Oliver said. "I was just a little out of whack, man. It happens. It's part of the game."
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