Editor’s note: The 2006 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will be used for any games involving American League teams. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur.
It’s not always how you start, but how you finish.
John Lackey survived the first three frames before ending with a dominating performance as the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Minnesota Twins 7-3 in the second round of the 2006 Tournament.
The Angels advance to the semifinals of the American League part of the tourney to face the winner of the Toronto Blue Jays at Oakland A’s contest.
Lackey went the distance giving up eight hits with 13 strikeouts.
Minnesota roughed up Lackey in the bottom of the first as Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer both had run-scoring singles.
The Angels got on the scoreboard in the third as Orlando Cabrera drove in a run with a single off Twins starter Fancisco Liriano.
Mauer added another RBI single in the third to put the Twins on top 3-1.
Liriano had big trouble in the fourth as the Angels got a grand slam from Robb Quinlan to build a 5-3 advantage.
A RBI single by Cabrera in the sixth ended the day for Liriano as the Angels added a run to make it 6-3.
The final tally for the Angels was a solo homer in the eighth as Vladimir Guerrero tagged Dennys Reyes.
As the Angels offense began producing, Lackey did his part on the mound.
After fanning Torii Hunter, Morneau and Michael Cuddyer in the fifth, Lackey allowed a single in the sixth before retiring the final 10 batters to earn the victory.
2006 AL Tournament
Second Round Pairings and Results
New York Yankees 11, Texas Rangers 1
Chicago White Sox 10, Detroit Tigers 5
Los Angeles Angels 7, Minnesota Twins 3
Toronto Blue Jays at Oakland Athletics
First Round Results
New York Yankees, bye
Texas Rangers 10, Boston Red Sox 4
Chicago White Sox 9, Baltimore Orioles 3
Detroit Tigers 4, Kansas City Royals 3
Minnesota Twins 11, Tampa Bay Devil Rays 4
Los Angeles Angels 4, Cleveland Indians 1
Toronto Blue Jays 7, Seattle Mariners 6
Oakland Athletics, bye
2006 NL Tournament
Second Round Pairings
Chicago Cubs at Atlanta Braves
Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals
Washington Nationals at Houston Astros
San Francisco Giants at San Diego Padres
First Round Results
Chicago Cubs 6, New York Mets 3
Atlanta Braves 8, Florida Marlins 5
St. Louis Cardinals 3, Colorado Rockies 1
Milwaukee Brewers 4, Philadelphia Phillies 3
Washington Nationals 13, Los Angeles Dodgers 10
Houston Astros 6, Arizona Diamondbacks 1
San Francisco Giants 9, Cincinnati Reds 5
San Diego Padres 2, Pittsburgh Pirates 1 (11)