Angels Aging, Winning : Baseball: McCaskill, just turned 30, pitches well in 5-3 victory over Mariners; Winfield, 39, gets three RBIs.

Kirk McCaskill joined the Angels’ large over-30 contingent Tuesday, when he celebrated his 30th birthday. Although he thought of it as reaching an advanced age, he’s still a kid in the Angels’ clubhouse, where his neighbors are 39-year-old Dave Parker and 39-year-old Dave Winfield.

“I’ve got to be crafty now,” McCaskill said, pretending to bemoan his lost youth. “Fortunately, I’ve had arm problems over the last few years and I learned how to do that.”

But while he learned his craft, he didn’t forget his art. Although he struggled to find his rhythm Wednesday and worked with runners on base in each of the six innings he pitched, McCaskill managed to get key outs when he needed them.

His first appearance since he underwent surgery on his pitching elbow last October wasn’t a masterpiece, but it was enough for McCaskill and the Angels to subdue the Mariners, 5-3, at the Kingdome.

“He made it through six and left with a lead, and that’s a fine effort,” Manager Doug Rader said after his club won its second consecutive game. “There’s a terrific home-court advantage here. Usually, by the time you get used to a domed stadium, you’re on your way out of town.

“Getting off to a good start is important in that everybody takes note. Convincing other ballclubs you’re legitimate is as important as convincing yourself.”

The Angels have gotten convincing performances from their two senior sluggers. Parker provided the offensive spark Tuesday with a home run and a triple, and Winfield took his turn Wednesday with three hits and three runs batted in.

If it was the same old story, it’s one the Angels will never tire of repeating.

“(Tuesday) night it was big Dave and me tonight and maybe it will be both of us tomorrow,” said Winfield, who was four for 41 (.098) against the Mariners last season. “Everybody contributed today. It started with good pitching and we got some clutch hits. I was pleased just to be able to get it going today.”

Luis Polonia and Luis Sojo actually got the offense going in the first. Polonia led off with a walk against left-hander Randy Johnson, stole second and scored when Sojo’s hustle turned a single down the right-field line into a double. Wally Joyner sacrificed Sojo to third, and Winfield sent him home with a double to right-center.

The Mariners came back with a run in the fourth, but Winfield’s bases-loaded single in the fifth gave McCaskill two more runs. He needed them, as Greg Briley followed Harold Reynolds’ leadoff single in the bottom of the fifth with a home run to right.

“I kind of got going quick, and it was hard to slow down,” McCaskill said. “Early on, they got some hits on decent pitches, and I told myself, ‘Those were good pitches, so just stay with what you’re doing.’ ”

Dick Schofield drove in the Angels’ fifth run in the sixth inning, following a walk by Parrish and Junior Felix’s single, Felix’s first hit as an Angel. “I think we’re going to win differently than in the past,” McCaskill said. “I think we’ll score some more runs. There will be bigger spreads where games aren’t nail-bitish.”

Wednesday wasn’t one of those nights. Scott Bailes, who followed McCaskill, pitched a perfect seventh but gave up singles to Alvin Davis and Edgar Martinez in the eighth, putting runners on first and third. Mark Eichhorn came in and got Jay Buhner to hit his first pitch on the ground to short, where Schofield began an inning-ending double play.

It was hardly easy: Sojo had to complete the play despite the onrushing Martinez. “It was real close, but I make a strong throw,” Sojo said. “I take the ball and get out of the way.”

Eichhorn gave up a one-out triple to Omar Vizquel in the ninth, prompting Rader to summon Harvey, who got Reynolds to take a third strike and ended the game by getting Briley to fly to left.

Harvey also earned a save in Tuesday’s 3-2 Angel victory, and is delighted with his fast start.

“The last two years I’ve struggled early,” Harvey said. “This winter, I worked hard and so far, everything’s going good.”

McCaskill downplayed the significance of getting off to a good start after his surgery.

“It’s more important that we got these two wins for our team,” McCaskill said.

“That’s really nice to see. Any time we win the close ones and we’ve got Harv going, that’s a good sign.”