Milestones Mean Little to Johnson

Randy Johnson got his 300th strikeout of the season, then he got No. 3,000 for his career. He finished with a season-high 14 strikeouts in seven innings Sunday against the Florida Marlins.

But what he really wanted was a win.

“Obviously winning for the team comes first, especially considering the situation that we’re in,” said Johnson, who became the 12th player to reach the 3,000 strikeout plateau. “So when you look at tonight, the outcome of what I did isn’t as good since we lost.”

Preston Wilson singled with two outs in the 12th inning, scoring Mark Kotsay from second base, as the Marlins defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks, 4-3, and spoiled Johnson’s milestone outing.

The Diamondbacks fell 4 1/2 games behind the New York Mets in the NL wild-card race.

“The loss is a setback,” Johnson said. “We had some momentum going. Now we have to regroup and see if we can get another winning streak going.”

Celebrating his 37th birthday, the tall left-hander struck out the side in the second, fourth and sixth innings before leaving with the score tied at 3-3. He gave up six hits and one earned run, settling for his fourth no-decision in his last nine starts.

“He had outstanding stuff. He gave us a chance to win the game,” Arizona Manager Buck Showalter said. “Our guys realize that we are lucky to have Randy and that we don’t have to face him. This is a 37-year-old guy who throws 98 mph. He’s a remarkable athlete and I feel lucky to have had him pass my way.”

The Marlins, despite striking out a team-record 21 times--one short of the NL record--stopped a five-game losing streak.

Kotsay beat out a drag bunt to start the 12th off Russ Springer (2-4). His headfirst slide just beat Greg Colbrunn’s tag. Kotsay moved to second on Luis Castillo’s sacrifice bunt.

Springer intentionally walked Floyd, setting up Wilson’s game-winning hit that scored Kotsay from second base.

“That was a big one to win,” Marlin Manager John Boles said. “The whole team needed a base hit there.”