Leicester helps O's shutout Angels

Sep 14, 2007, 1:48 GMT

Baltimore, MD - Jon Leicester tossed 5 2/3 innings and combined with three other relievers in a five-hit shutout as the Baltimore Orioles took the finale of their three-game series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 3-0.

One night after the Orioles staff surrendered 18 runs, Leicester (2-1) allowed just four hits, striking out one and walking three. Jim Hoey, Chad Bradford and Jamie Walker then combined for 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, combining to give up just one hit.

'I just tried to get them to swing the bat early,' Leicester said. 'It kept the (defense) on their toes and they made some great plays.'

Luis Hernandez had a career-high three hits, Jay Payton was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Scott Moore drove in a pair of runs for the O's, who won for just the second time in their last eight games.

Jon Lackey (16-9) was denied in his attempt to join Kelvim Escobar, who won Wednesday night, as the Angels' second 17-game winner. Lackey was touched for just three earned runs on nine hits, striking out eight and walking one in seven innings, but was outdueled by Leicester.

'(Lackey) pitched well enough to win,' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. 'He gave us a chance to win tonight.'

Vladimir Guerrero finished 2-for-4 for LA, which has dropped three of five.

Payton and Moore roped back-to-back doubles to start the bottom of the second to put the O's up 1-0. After Paul Bako went down on strikes for the first out, Brandon Fahey grounded a ball back to Lackey, who caught Moore in between second and third for the second out. Fahey, though, stole second and came home on a Tike Redman single for a 2-0 edge.

Leicester yielded a two-out double to Garret Anderson in the sixth, and then walked Maicer Izturis, and was lifted for Hoey, who came on and shut the door by inducing an inning-ending groundout from Casey Kotchman.

Baltimore then tallied again in the bottom half on consecutive singles by Aubrey Huff and Payton, and a sacrifice fly to left by Moore.

The Angels never really threatened again, as only Guerrero reached base with an eight-inning, two-out single.

'We haven't had a lot of good baseball games in our facility lately,' Orioles fill-in manager Tom Trebelhorn said.

'This was a baseball game, thank goodness. It was truly a baseball game and it was a lot of fun for everybody on our side.'

Game Notes

Orioles manager Dave Trembley and pitcher Daniel Carera were both suspended Thursday for separate on-field incidents - Trembley for three games, Cabrera for six; Trembley began serving his suspension with Thursday night's game, while Cabrera is appealing his...Leicester was the first Orioles starter in the last eight games to last more than five innings...Lackey is winless in his last two starts despite allowing just four runs combined; he is now 6-3 in his career versus Baltimore...The Angels were denied their first three-game sweep at Camden Yards since September of 2002; it was also their first road loss in seven games...The Orioles recorded their ninth shutout of the season, while the Angels were shut out for the seventh time.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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