TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) -John Lackey is hurting, and his opening-day start for the Los Angeles Angels is in jeopardy.
Dan Haren, meanwhile, is looking sharp for Arizona. He struck out 10 in seven innings and drove in two runs with a single in the Arizona Diamondbacks' 9-3 victory over the Angels on Friday.
Lackey has tightness in his right forearm that could put him on the disabled list.
``Right now, it is on hold,' Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia said about Lackey's scheduled start for the regular season. ``We will make a determination this week. He is getting over stiffness.'
Lackey will have an MRI this weekend to determine the extent of the injury. The tightness surfaced on March 22 while throwing 90 pitches against Kansas City.
Lackey, who was 12-5 with a 3.75 ERA last year, is entering the final year of his contract.
``I think we are relieved that everything seems structurally where his elbow needs to be. There is just inflammation in there,' Scioscia said. ``We will evaluate it every day and see where he is. He has already thrown 90 pitches (in a game) so it shouldn't take him too far along to get where he needs to be' once he starts throwing again.
Haren, who entered with a 5.79 ERA, was nearly untouchable - giving up a wind-aided homer to Brandon Wood in the second inning and a double by Gary Matthews Jr. in the sixth. He retired 12 straight batters in between.
Haren struck out five consecutive hitters in one stretch, fanning the side in the third inning.
``I wouldn't say my strikeout pitch was necessarily going, but my command of all my pitches was there,' Haren said. ``I was able to throw breaking balls behind in the count. That is something I do quite a bit during the season.'
Haren threw 93 pitches and did not walk a batter.
``Obviously, there were good results, but the most important thing is I am getting my pitch count up and being able to go up through the seventh inning,' he said. ``To go seven innings was real positive. When you start out spring training and you go only two or three, it almost seems impossible to go six or seven.'
Shane Loux, after allowing one earned run in his first four spring appearances for the Angels, gave up seven runs and 10 hits through four innings.
``I was not putting guys away and it snowballed,' Loux said. ``Overall, I have put up a lot of zeros. I had a bad second and third innings today, but I feel I can get people out in a long period of time. I've been roughed up before and come back.'
The 29-year-old Loux, vying for a spot in the starting rotation, allowed a walk and four straight singles in the second to fall behind 3-1.
Arizona's Mark Reynolds hit a three-run homer in the third inning and Gerardo Parra added a solo homer two batters later.
Parra went 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Reynolds was 2-for-3 with two runs and 3 RBI.
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