[0] WHAT'S SO TOUGH ABOUT MARINERS? ANGELS 8, SEATTLE 1.

Byline: Joe Haakenson Staff Writer

SEATTLE - It took 70 games and nearly three months, but the Angels finally played like - well, the Seattle Mariners.

Combining offense and pitching as in no other game this season, the Angels beat the Mariners 8-1 in front of a sellout crowd of 45,461 Friday night at Safeco Field.

Angels starter Jarrod Washburn came within four outs of throwing the first shutout of his major-league career, blanking the Mariners until John Olerud's two-out, RBI single in the eighth. In 7 2/3 innings, Washburn (5-4) gave up the one run and five hits, striking out three and walking two while making 109 pitches.

The Angels offense made the most of its 10 hits, including three by Shawn Wooten and two by Tim Salmon. Wooten hit the game's only home run, a two-run blast for his fifth of the season, in the eighth inning.

The Angels broke the game open with a six-run fifth inning to send Mariners starter Aaron Sele (8-1) to his first loss of the season.

The Angels remain far behind the Mariners in the AL West, trailing by 18 1/2 games. But they are within seven games of Minnesota in the wild-card race.

The victory was only the Angels' second against the Mariners in eight games this season, and considering they were swept in a four-game series the last time they were in Seattle, it had added meaning.

``I thought we definitely had something to prove,'' Washburn said. ``They swept us four games, they kicked our butts. It was important for us to come in here and make a statement and prove we could play with them. They're a great team, but I don't think they're 18 games better than us.''

Washurn, 4-0 with a 2.98 ERA and four no-decisions in his past eight starts, stayed out of trouble most of the night but needed to make some clutch pitches in the third inning after getting himself into a jam.

With Ichiro Suzuki on first and one out, Mike Cameron hit a comebacker to Washburn. But in his haste, Washburn threw the ball over shortstop David Eckstein's head and into center field for an error, bringing up the Nos. 3 and 4 hitters, Edgar Martinez and Olerud. But Washburn retired both and escaped.

After that, no Mariners baserunner got as far as second base until Suzuki singled and took second on a fielder's choice in the eighth inning. Washburn retired Cameron and Martinez before Olerud lined a single to center on a 3-1 pitch to ruin the shutout bid but nothing else.

``We worked off the fastball,'' said Wooten, who has become Washburn's personal catcher. ``He had an outstanding fastball. One time it's 93 (mph) with movement, and the next it's 88 (mph) right where he wants it. I think we threw about 100 fastballs tonight.''

Washburn mixed in a slider well and rarely fell behind in the count.

``They're a patient team for the most part, so if I'm hitting my spots and getting ahead, it puts them on the defensive,'' Washburn said. ``I was up in the zone quite a bit today. Some of it was by design and some of it wasn't. My command was not quite as good as I like it, but all in all it was a good night ... except for making my first major-league error. (Eckstein is) not quite that tall.''