"The Angels have tried side sessions, arm-slot overhauls and closed-door meetings and they even considered dropping Scott Kazmir from the rotation, all aimed at finding a way to "unlock Kaz and get him to be the pitcher we know he can be," as Mike Scioscia put it recently.

The progress has been incremental and sporadic at best. But for most of seven innings Saturday afternoon, the Angels' left-hander looked less like a puzzle to be solved and more like the pitcher the Angels hope (if not truly know) he can be.

Kazmir retired 17 consecutive batters at one point in a 10-7 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

And he did it with efficiency. Kazmir needed 12 pitches or less to retire the side in order in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, taking a one-hitter into the seventh.

"Whatever he has to do to be what he was today, that's what he needs to keep doing," Angels catcher Mike Napoli said. "Because that's what we need from him.""