Again, Johnson Gets No Support in Loss

The Arizona Diamondbacks wasted another strong effort by Randy Johnson.

Ron Gant hit a game-tying, two-run home run in the eighth inning off the Veterans Stadium clock before Domingo Cedeno hit a game-winning, two-run homer in the 11th Friday as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Diamondbacks, 4-2.

The victory extended Philadelphia’s winning streak to four games.

Johnson gave up five hits over eight innings, walked three and struck out 10.

He was again victimized by a lack of run support. Arizona had scored 13 runs in his previous nine starts. During the stretch, he is 2-6 with a 1.25 earned-run average.

“It’s happened too many times this year,” Arizona Manager Buck Showalter said. “Every game Randy pitches, he doesn’t have any margin of error. It was another outstanding effort by him, one that got away from us again.”

Wayne Gomes (3-1) pitched two scoreless innings of relief for the victory, giving up one hit and two walks.

Pittsburgh 5-1, St. Louis 1-5--Garrett Stephenson held the Pirates to a run over seven innings in his first start in 15 months at Pittsburgh as the Cardinals salvaged a doubleheader split.

Pittsburgh rookie left-hander Jimmy Anderson gave up one run in six innings in his first major league start and doubled to start a two-run fifth inning as the Pirates won the opener.

Mark McGwire had a quiet day after hitting his 500th and 501st homers Thursday, going one for three in the opener and striking out as a pinch-hitter in the second game.

He didn’t start the nightcap because the Cardinals are playing a stretch of seven games in six days on artificial turf.

Florida 9, Colorado 1--Alex Fernandez pitched a three-hitter for his first complete game in more than two years and added a solo homer at Miami as the Marlins spoiled Rocky Manager Jim Leyland’s return.

It was Leyland’s first game back at Pro Player Stadium, where he managed Florida to the 1997 World Series championship and then suffered through a payroll purge that plunged Florida to a 54-108 record last year.

Fernandez (6-7) went the distance for the first time since July 5, 1997 against the New York Mets. He sat out all of last season after undergoing rotator-cuff surgery and has been on a 100-pitch count. He only needed 98, throwing 67 for strikes.

Atlanta 7, San Francisco 3--Brian Jordan hit a three-run double in the first inning at Atlanta and Greg Maddux (13-6) cruised to his third consecutive victory.

Barry Bonds did not take the field in the seventh for the Giants and was listed as day-to-day because of back spasms.

Houston 6-0, Chicago 1-6--Andrew Lorraine pitched a three-hitter in his season debut and Henry Rodriguez hit a three-run homer to lift the Cubs to a split of their doubleheader at Chicago.

In the opener, Carl Everett, playing his first game since being sidelined because of a hamstring injury, had five RBIs and Jose Lima earned his 15th victory.

Cincinnati 9, Milwaukee 2--Greg Vaughn ended an 0-for-13 slide with a two-run homer at Milwaukee as the Reds extended the Brewers’ losing streak to six games.