Mariners Are Aced Out

The No. 1 starter is a rare species within the major leagues.

Check the American League West: The Oakland Athletics have three in Barry Zito, Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson. But the Seattle Mariners thought they had nurtured one in Freddy Garcia, and now they’re not sure. The Texas Rangers thought they had purchased one in Chan Ho Park, and now they have buyer’s remorse.

The Angels are pleased to have one. Jarrod Washburn established himself as an ace last season and reminded the Mariners of it Thursday night, providing eight shutout innings in a 3-0 victory in front of 32,746 at Safeco Field.

In a lineup missing the injured Tim Salmon and Adam Kennedy, the Angels rode their two hottest hitters -- their only two hot hitters, really -- to victory. Brad Fullmer homered, scored two runs and drove in two, and Garret Anderson had two more hits to maintain his batting average at .500.

Washburn scattered five hits and breezed through his eight innings in 96 pitches, three outs away from his first major league shutout. But Manager Mike Scioscia opted for his fresh closer, Troy Percival, who delivered his first save of the season.

For the third time in nine months, Scioscia removed Washburn three outs away from a shutout, with Percival earning the save each time. For that elusive first shutout, Washburn figures to need his teammates to get him a big, fat lead so that Scioscia is not concerned about a save situation.

“One of these times, he’ll let me finish,” Washburn said. “I still argue, but I know it ain’t gonna work.”

Still, on a night he said he “didn’t feel very comfortable at all,” Washburn limited the Mariners to two runners in scoring position, with both arriving there with two out. He gave up one extra-base hit -- to Seattle rookie Willie Bloomquist, who is six for seven off him.

“Maybe next time I’ll throw it right down the middle,” Washburn said with a smile, “and see what he does with that.”

Washburn won 18 games last season, starting the playoff opener and Game 1 of the World Series. He was scheduled to start the season opener but landed on his pitching shoulder during a spring drill and fell a few days behind schedule.

When he finally made his first start of the season last Sunday, Oakland’s Mark Ellis slammed a line drive into the triceps of Washburn’s pitching arm, leaving a colorful bruise.

No matter. Washburn, who finally shook off a reputation as a somewhat fragile pitcher last season, has proven quite sturdy this season. He could have pitched the opener -- just ask him -- and he shrugged off the nasty bruise without a thought of missing a start.

He never lost his sense of humor. After the Angels and Mariners debated whether Kevin Appier was doctoring balls Wednesday, Washburn could not resist explaining his success Thursday by cracking, “I had my scuff ball working pretty good.”

The Angels flew home Thursday night happy, if not healthy. Benji Gil was scratched from Thursday’s lineup because of back spasms, the last injury on a six-game trip in which Washburn took that line drive off his arm, Kennedy was put on the disabled list because of a strained right hamstring, Troy Glaus left one game because of tightness in his left hamstring and Salmon left another game because of tightness in his groin.

“If our guys keep breaking down,” Scioscia said, “the doctors will be day-to-day.”