Lincecum walks six as struggles continue

ANAHEIM — Angels right-hander Tim Lincecum’s first eight pitches on Friday night were out of the strike zone, with none of them even coming close.

Few other pitches found their desired target for the two-time National League Cy Young Award winner throughout the course of the game, as his command once again evaded him in a 6-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

Lincecum walked six batters — his most since May 23, 2014 — minimizing the damage from the constant pressure of baserunners until the dam finally broke with his third pitch of the sixth inning, when Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. golfed a low curveball into the right-field stands and ended his night.

Lincecum allowed one run in six innings in his debut in Oakland on June 18, but has failed to complete the sixth inning in his seven starts since. Friday night was no different, as his line of five-plus innings and four runs allowed actually lowered his season ERA from 8.70 to 8.49. Of his 90 pitches, more than half were balls. During one stretch, he retired four consecutive right-handed hitters — something he has done just one other time in his comeback from offseason left …

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