Washburn Has Angels’ Full Support

Jarrod Washburn said during spring training that he didn’t mind losing the designation of staff ace to Angel newcomer Bartolo Colon, who possessed the better major league pedigree.

“ ‘Ace’ doesn’t mean anything on the field,” Washburn told reporters. “It doesn’t bother me if you guys call him the ace.”

The way Washburn and Colon have pitched over their last couple of outings, the label might have to revert to its former owner. Washburn, continuing to get tremendous run support, had a solid outing for the second time in five days during an 11-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday before 34,920 at Angel Stadium, one night after Colon turned in another substandard performance.

Washburn gave up six hits and four runs in 6 2/3 innings to become the first five-game winner in the American League and lead the Angels to their fourth consecutive victory.

The left-hander was sharp early, retiring 10 of the first 11 hitters before yielding solo homers to Ivan Rodriguez and Rondell White on consecutive pitches in the fourth. He gave up a two-run homer to Carlos Pena in the seventh before leaving to an ovation after an outing in which he struck out four and walked two.

“The ball’s coming out of his hand as well as we’ve seen it,” Angel Manager Mike Scioscia said. “Now it’s a matter of maintaining it.”

Washburn (5-1), who also tamed the Tigers Thursday in Detroit, giving up nine hits and three runs in eight innings, said he feels like he’s off to another slow start, with one major difference.

“This year I’m doing it and we’re winning,” said Washburn, whose earned-run average is 5.35.

“It will be great when I get into a groove.”

Bengie Molina hit a three-run homer and Jose Guillen drove in three runs to pace a 13-hit attack that sent the fans home with free chicken wings for a second consecutive night because the Angels scored at least 10 runs.

The Angels have scored at least 10 runs in each of their four victories over Detroit, all with cleanup hitter Garret Anderson sidelined by injury.

“Offensively, it’s crazy,” said Washburn, who has benefited from an average of 9.5 runs of support in his six starts. “I think I’ll win a lot of games this year if they score 10 runs every time.”

While Washburn continues to pick up victories, Colon (3-2) has looked less than fearsome while posting an 8.40 ERA over his last three starts. The right-hander gave up 10 hits and four earned runs in six innings against Detroit on Monday, seven hits and seven runs in four innings against Detroit on April 28, and five hits and three runs in five innings against Texas on April 22.

While Colon has struggled with fastball command and the ability to repeat pitches, pitching coach Bud Black insists concerns about his velocity are unwarranted.

“I’ve got no problems with his velocity at all,” Black said. “You look back over any of his games over the last three or four years, you’ll see a fastball anywhere from 90 miles an hour to 97. He threw a lot of fastballs in the mid-90s and some in the lower 90s [Monday].

“He changes speed on his fastball depending on how he grips it and the movement. He’s fine.”

The Angels backed Washburn on Tuesday with a big early onslaught that featured Molina’s three-run homer in the second and run-scoring singles by Vladimir Guerrero and Guillen in the third. By the time Troy Glaus and Guillen hit back-to-back mammoth solo homers in the fifth, the first time the Angels had hit consecutive blasts this season, Washburn had more than enough run support.

Detroit starter Nate Robertson (1-2) is probably glad he won’t have to face the Angels again until August at the earliest.

The left-hander gave up seven hits and six runs in three innings Tuesday, the second time in five days he has been rocked by the Angels. Robertson gave up eight hits and nine runs -- eight earned -- in 3 1/3 innings Thursday during the Angels’ 12-3 victory in Detroit.