He'd complained of back trouble, but it was diagnosed as muscular, and he was told he could pitch with it. A later diagnosis showed a couple of stress fractures in his lower back. A season off has given him time to heal, and in the first three weeks of the season, his old fastball is back.

Still in the bullpen this year, Batista is routinely hitting 94 and 95 with his fastball and has touched 97 mph at least once. And that's fine with the Mariners, who want him to throw the fastball more.

In addition to his injury issues, the Mariners thought he threw too many cutters last season. Batista's view is that the cutters were a product of being hurt.

He's off to a 1-0 record and 2.00 ERA through the weekend.

ANGELS 8, MARINERS 0: LHP Jarrod Washburn's sinker, which had been a major factor as he started the season 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA, proved elusive Sunday as Washburn lost for the first time in 2009.

The Angels scored runs off Washburn in five consecutive innings, starting with 2B Howie Kendrick's two-run homer in the second inning, and the game was never really close. Kendrick finished with three hits and four RBIs.

"That sinker (to Kendrick) didn't have much sink to it," Washburn said.

Angels RHP Jared Weaver, beaten by the Mariners in Seattle earlier in the month, turned in a dominating performance. He allowed just three hits in seven innings before turning the game over the Angel bullpen to finish up. It was the second time this season the Mariners have been shut out.

Even with the loss, the Mariners have a 4 1/2-game lead over the defending American League West champion Angels and a 3 1/2-game lead in the division as a whole.