Washburn rolls

OAKLAND, Calif. – Jarrod Washburn waited more than three weeks to get his first win. The timing couldn’t have been better, both for Washburn and the Seattle Mariners.

Washburn pitched a three-hitter for his third career shutout, outdueling Joe Blanton and leading the Seattle Mariners over the Oakland Athletics 2-0 Wednesday night.

“I was pretty locked in,” Washburn said. “It’s one of the best games I’ve ever pitched. I was by no means dominating, but I was able to make them mis-hit the ball.”

Washburn (1-2) struck out two and walked two in his first complete game since a rain-shortened, five-inning blanking of Kansas City for the Angels on July 3, 2005.

His other shutout was against the Chicago White Sox on July 7, 2004.

“It looked like he was pounding the corners, hitting the bottom of the zones,” A’s manager Bob Geren said. “Not too many hitters’ pitches.”

Blanton (2-1) pitched a six-hitter for Oakland but gave up homers to Jose Guillen and Kenji Johjima. Blanton threw 105 pitches, one more than Washburn. The game lasted 1 hour, 47 minutes, the quickest nine-inning game for the A’s since 1979.

“It really helps you get into a routine,” Blanton said. “At the same time, as soon as you sit down, you’re getting back up. It made for a quick game.”

Washburn was pitching after a rainout Tuesday in Texas pushed his start back a day. That’s been the norm this season for Washburn, who also had starts against Cleveland and Boston wiped out by weather.

Washburn, who had a 4.42 ERA in his previous three starts, retired 15 of his final 18 batters. He allowed one runner to reach second and matched his low-hit complete game, set against the White Sox on May 8, 2001.

“He had that nasty changeup that was dominating and his command was great,” Johjima said through an interpreter. “His command was great. He was in a groove.”

Guillen hit a two-out homer in the second that bounced off the facing of the second deck. Johjima later homered leading off the eighth as Seattle ended a 10-game skid in Oakland.