Angels pitcher Dan Haren joins Mike Witt and John Lackey in elite company

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With his two-hit, nine-strikeout, no-walk shutout of the Tigers on Tuesday night, Dan Haren became only the third pitcher in Angels history to throw a shutout while allowing two or fewer hits, no walks and striking out at least nine.

Mike Witt did it on Sept. 30, 1984, when he threw a perfect game with 10 strikeouts against the Texas Rangers in 1984, and John Lackey did it on July 7, 2006, when he threw a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts against the Oakland Athletics, allowing a double to Mark Kotsay to start the first inning and retiring the next 27 batters.

Haren’s gem, his second shutout of the season, also marked the fourth straight game — two against the Dodgers and two against the Tigers — in which the Angels gave up one run or less.

The last time the Angels did that was in five straight games, three against the Rangers and two against the Minnesota Twins, from Sept. 24 to 29, 1972.

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-- Mike DiGiovanna