Pitching with the pressure of being sent back to Triple-A Tacoma after faltering in his first start of the season, Seattle’s Bob Wolcott decided to take a laid-back approach Wednesday.
“I feel the pressure, but I’m just not trying to dwell on it,” said Wolcott, 23.
With his teammates roughing up Cleveland rookie Bartolo Colon for six runs in the first inning, Wolcott pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings as the Mariners routed the Indians 11-1.
“I really want to remain positive this year,” said Wolcott, fighting to remain in the rotation after Jamie Moyer comes off the disabled list. “Last year was tough with all the ups and downs. This year I just want to focus on all the positives.”
Russ Davis, Paul Sorrento and Jay Buhner homered for the Mariners.
Wolcott (1-1), who gave up seven runs in three innings against Boston last Friday, recorded his first win since last Aug. 4. He gave up four hits and struck out four before being replaced after yielding his second walk.
Colon (0-1), making his second start of the season, didn’t make it out of the first inning as the Mariners sent 11 batters to the plate in taking a 6-0 lead.
Tigers 10, Twins 5: Bobby Higginson hit his first career grand slam as Detroit rallied to win before 6,477, the smallest crowd at Tiger Stadium in eight years.
Detroit evened its record at 4-4, the first time the Tigers have been at .500 since they were 8-8 last April 17. With the gametime temperature just 43 degrees, the crowd was the smallest in Detroit since 6,197 attended a game against Oakland on Aug. 21, 1989.
Detroit trailed 3-0 and 4-2, then went ahead 6-4 in the seventh on RBI singles by Jody Reed and Bubba Trammell.
Gregg Olson walked the bases loaded in the eighth before Higginson, facing lefty Eddie Guardado, sent the ball into the second deck in right for his third homer.
“I’m going to hear about that for a long time,” said Tigers manager Buddy Bell with a smile. “I almost wish someone else had hit it. `Higgy’ is never going to let me hear the end of that.”
Higginson has chafed at being platooned against left-handers. He believes he should never come out of the lineup. “For two years I’ve been trying to tell people I want to play every day,” Higginson said. “Sparky (Anderson) had his reasons, and I’m sure Buddy had his last year. But now I think I’ll get my chance.”
John Cummings, third Detroit pitcher, pitched one inning for the win.
A’s 4, Red Sox 3: Using a borrowed glove and fueled by peanuts he munched while sitting on a frozen airport runway, Aaron Small arrived just in time to pitch host Oakland to a victory.
Geronimo Berroa hit his fourth homer and Scott Brosius drove in the winning run with a bases-loaded walk in the 10th inning for the A’s.
Small (1-0), promoted from Edmonton of the Pacific Coast League earlier in the day, pitched one inning for the win. Rick Trlicek (2-2) was the loser.
“They said to go ahead and stretch and be ready. I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off,” he said. “It’s been a wild day, an interesting day.”
