Classic fall

For Washburn, World Series will be something to forget

SAN FRANCISCO -- He stood there in his nice tie and his slightly wrinkled dress shirt and answered wave upon wave of questioners, all wanting to know how and why and what in the heck happened out there.

Jarrod Washburn answered them all, as best he could, as best anyone can answer the basically unanswerable. He's a stand-up guy, Washburn is, a man who takes his responsibilities seriously.

And when he fails in those responsibilities, as he has here in the World Series, no one is more serious about it than Washburn.

"I don't know if I can tell you the words of how disappointing it is," Washburn said. "Being the 'ace,' I'm expected to go out there and throw the ball and keep us in games. …"

CNNSI.com's John Donovan Viewpoint: Nobody felt worse about Jarrod Washburn's poor showing in the World Series than the Angels lefty himself. Pitchers do get weary: Neither pitching staff has much left in the tank after the offensive onslaught of the first five games. SI's Stephen Cannella Most Valuable Batboy: Barry Bonds may be the best player in the world, but the Giants don't win unless Darren Baker shows up. Giants go small Click the image to launch the clip The Giants' early lead dug a very deep hole for the Angels. Start J.T. Snow offers his theory on why the Giants were able to establish such a large early lead. Barry Bonds warns that in the World Series, no lead is ever safe. Video Plus Visit Video Plus for the latest video and audio. HEROES & GOATS HERO GOAT Jeff Kent J. Washburn Tired of being the weak link in the Giants' lineup this October, Jeff Kent put the game out of reach with a pair of two-run homers. The ace lefty suffered his second loss of the Series while leaving the bullpen out to dry by only pitching through the fourth inning. BY THE NUMBERS 3 Base hits (two doubles, single) by Barry Bonds in Game 5 that were not home runs. All three of his hits in the first four games were homers. 4 Runs scored by Jeff Kent in Game 5, the most in a World Series game since Lenny Dykstra scored four for the Phillies in 1993. 5.02 Jarrod Washburn's postseason ERA, much higher than his 3.15 mark during the regular season. 10 Hits by the Angels in Game 5, their fourth straight game they reached double digits.

Washburn won 18 games this season for the Anaheim Angels, the team's first 18-game winner in more than 10 years. At one point, the young left-hander (he's 28) won 12 straight. He was in the Top 10 in the American League in wins, winning percentage and ERA. He held opponents to a .235 batting average, ninth in the league.

He was the Angels' ace. He is their ace. So it was only natural that Washburn got the ball in Game 5 of the Series on Thursday night, with the Angels and San Francisco Giants tied at two wins apiece in the best-of-seven Series.

But for the second time in the Series, the Giants' lineup banged Washburn around. In the biggest game of his career, bigger even than the Game 1 start last weekend, Washburn was terrible. He walked people. He gave up hits. He was all over the place, and by the time he finished, his team was behind 6-0. In the second inning.

"I feel terrible," he told the first wave of questioners.

In Game 1, back in Anaheim, Washburn gave up three home runs in a 4-3 loss. It was the second time this postseason that he had given up three homers in a loss (he did it against the Yankees, too). He had not done it all season long, not in 32 starts.

Thursday night was a chance for redemption, a chance to get the Angels within a game of the World Series title with two chances to win it this weekend back home at Edison Field.

Washburn gave up a single to Kenny Lofton to open the bottom of the first. He walked Jeff Kent after getting him down 0-2. He gave up a double to Barry Bonds. Manager Mike Scioscia had him walk Reggie Sanders later in the inning so he could face a lefty, J.T. Snow, but Washburn walked him on five pitches.

By the time he got out of the first, the Giants had batted around, Washburn had given up two hits, walked four (including the intentional walk), walked in a run and thrown a staggering 34 pitches. Only 13 of his pitches were strikes. The Angels trailed 3-0.

It was no better in the second. Lofton opened with another single. Kent doubled. Washburn intentionally walked Bonds to load the bases, just so he could get to catcher Benito Santiago, and then Santiago ripped a first-pitch single to center that scored two runs. A sacrifice fly later, it was 6-0. The Angels were done.

"He just wasn't locating," explained pitching coach Bud Black, but there were no such simplicities as to why he wasn't putting his pitches where he wanted them. He just wasn't.

"It's not like me at all," Washburn said.

The Giants went on to rip the Angels' whole pitching staff -- almost no one who pitched was spared in the 16-4 drubbing -- but it was Washburn who had to face all the questions, who had to take the brunt of the blame. He gave up six hits and walked five in his two innings. All six of the runs he gave up were earned. It was an ugly sight.

In his two Series starts, Washburn gave up 12 hits in 9 2/3 innings, walked seven, struck out six and had a 9.31 ERA. He was 0-2.

Across the room, longtime Angels outfielder Tim Salmon talked about what Washburn has meant to the team this season. "I'm sure he would have liked to have performed better, but you know what," Salmon said. "He's still a great competitor, and we feed off him. He's the heart and soul of this team."

Scioscia, too, stood by his man. "This guy is as cool as they come," the manager said. "He's an incredible competitor. Those guys put some real good at-bats on him."

After the game, facing the music, the usually gregarious Washburn was soft-spoken in answering every question. When a reporter asked him about his disappointment, he looked down for a bit, and when he looked up, his eyes were misty.

"I can't put into words," he said, "how bad I feel."

He didn't have to. The Angels' ace crashed in this Series and now his team is in trouble.

That, unfortunately for Washburn and the Angels, says it all.

John Donovan is a senior writer for CNNSI.com.

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