MLB

Scioscia: Lackey likely in a Game 7

The chances for rain and thunder at game time tonight are 90 percent. Should Game 6 be postponed until Sunday night and the Angels then win it, the forecast for John Lackey starting game 7 Monday night on three days’ rest is somewhere between 90 and 100 percent.

Asked yesterday if Lackey would be used on three days’ rest, Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he would.

“If there is an opportunity to look at bringing a guy like John back, it’s something we would certainly consider,” Scioscia said. “We have talked about a lot of different scenarios. I think we’re gong to let this thing unfold a little bit and see how the weekend goes.”

YANKEES BLOG

Unfolded were Scioscia’s Angels in Game 5, rallying from a potentially devastating, six-run Yankees seventh that wiped out a 4-0 Los Angeles lead for a 7-6 win. Unknotted presumably are Lackey’s shorts by now after he was removed by Scioscia with the base loaded and two outs and no runs in.

If any small part of the decision to bring in Darren Oliver to face Mark Teixeira with the bases loaded was to save Lackey some pitches for either a bullpen appearance in an unpostponed Game 7 or a start in one pushed back by rain, the bulldog Angels starter used up a lot of energy screaming “it’s my game” at Scioscia when he came out with the hook.

Despite Teixeira’s bases-clearing double that pulled the Yankees to within 4-3 on the way to a six-run inning, in the end it turned out to be the Angels’ game regardless. And, should they win Game 6, the chances of it becoming their series would increase markedly, even against CC Sabathia, with Lackey on the hill.

The Angels, pitching Joe Saunders, who was good in Game 2, against Andy Pettitte tonight or tomorrow night have not announced their Game 7 starter. Common presumption is that Jared Weaver, who failed less in Game 3 than did Scott Kazmir in Game 4, would be the guy, despite being used to pitch a one-two-three eighth Thursday night with the Angels clinging to their season by just one run.