SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- The Anaheim Angels try to continue their impressive offensive display Wednesday night when they face the San Francisco Giants in Game Four of the World Series at Pacific Bell Park.
The Angels are averaging nearly eight runs a game in the postseason, and have scored 24 runs in the first three games of their first World Series. San Francisco pitchers have been shelled for 21 earned runs in 26 innings for a 7.27 ERA.
Anaheim scored 11 runs in Game Two on Sunday and rolled to a 10-4 victory in Game Three Tuesday. No team has ever scored 10 runs or more in three consecutive World Series games.
Scott Spiezio drove in three runs and Darin Erstad had three hits Tuesday as the Angels became the first team in World Series history to bat around in consecutive innings. Anaheim has batted around six times in the postseason.
Barry Bonds set a record with his seventh homer of the postseason for the Giants, and drew a pair of walks. Anaheim and San Francisco have combined for 13 home runs thus far. That is four shy of the record for a World Series.
Anaheim's John Lackey celebrates his 24th birthday with a start in Game Four. He joins Pittsburgh's Brickyard Kennedy in 1903 and Brooklyn's Johnny Podres in 1955 as the only pitchers to start a World Series game on their birthday.
"It's pretty cool," Lackey said. "I was born during the World Series. It's something I've been doing on my birthday for a lot of years, watching the World Series. It's pretty cool that I'm actually in it and I'm going to get an opportunity to be playing in it."
Lackey pitched 2 1/3 innings of relief in Game Two, giving up two runs and two hits in the Angels' 11-10 victory. He is 1-0 with a 1.46 ERA in three postseason appearances, including one start.
"He has an outstanding arm," said Angels Manager Mike Scioscia. "He's got very good command of really three pitches. Whatever start he's taken in our organization, whatever level it's been, he showed the same great makeup on the mound."
The rookie righthander started Game Four of the American League Championship Series against Minnesota, pitching seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits while striking out seven.
"I'm not going to promise performance every time out, but I don't think there's going to be any situation where I'm going to be intimidated or scared or anything," he said. "I'm going to go out there and do what's gotten me to this point. I'm going to go after people with my best stuff."
Lackey makes his first career appearance against the Giants.
San Francisco hands the ball to Kirk Rueter, who, like Lackey, makes his first career World Series appearance.
Rueter is 1-1 with a 7.07 ERA in three postseason starts, allowing 12 runs, 11 earned, in 14 innings.
The veteran lefthander made two starts against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Championship Series and won one, allowing five runs in 11 innings. He made his last start in Game Five, tossing six scoreless innings.
"We expect Kirk to be the same Steady-Eddie self," said Giants Manager Dusty Baker. "His personality is very consistent. He's one of the most competitive people we have on the team. He fields his position wonderfully, he's a good bunter, a good base-runner. He's highly competitive, so we expect Kirk to be the same Kirk that we always know."
Rueter is 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA in two career starts against the Angels, giving up two runs and 14 hits in 12 1/3 innings.
