Johnson Believes He Should Share Record

A day after his 20-strikeout performance, Arizona’s Randy Johnson wasn’t alone in thinking that he deserves to rank with Roger Clemens and Kerry Wood as co-holders of the major league record for most strikeouts in a nine-inning game.

Yet baseball’s official record-keeper, the Elias Sports Bureau, wouldn’t budge.

“I think I do, so when someone says I don’t, well I did what they did in nine,” Johnson said. “I’m not losing sleep over it. I know what I did. I’m not making a big deal out of it.”

Elias, which was besieged Wednesday by phone calls criticizing its decision, won’t include Johnson’s accomplishment with Clemens’, who did it twice with Boston in 1986 and 1996, and Wood’s, who did it for the Chicago Cubs in 1998, because Johnson left after nine innings of an 11-inning game that ended with the Diamondbacks defeating the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3.

The record for most strikeouts in an extra-inning game is 21, set by Tom Cheney, who pitched all 16 innings for the Washington Senators in 1962.

Johnson will make the record books, but for the most strikeouts in an extra-inning National League game. He is also the first left-hander to reach the 20 mark. The only other left-hander to reach 19 was Steve Carlton, in 1969 for St. Louis.

Elias President Seymour Siwoff said he was sympathetic to Johnson’s plight, but maintains that strikeout records must be separated into two categories: a nine-inning game and an extra-inning game.

“It’s discouraging,” Siwoff said. “Nobody said life is fair. He didn’t even get the win. . . . It’s a game. It’s not an exact science.”

Mark Grace, who played first base behind Wood and Johnson in their 20-strikeout games, said whatever Elias says is irrelevant: “Anybody who knows baseball realizes he did the same exact thing that the other guys did, and it was a fabulous accomplishment.”

Johnson was satisfied he made the right decision when he told Arizona Manager Bob Brenly his night was done after nine innings. “I don’t know how many pitches I had, but it wasn’t really too important to go out for the 10th inning and possibly put the team in a situation to lose,” Johnson said.

Johnson threw 124 pitches, 92 for strikes.

“I just asked him, ‘How are you doing?’ ” Brenly said. “And, by the look on his face and the exhale of breath that he gave me when I asked him that question, I thought he’d had enough. He was physically and mentally spent.”

Outfielder Mark Kotsay signed a two-year, $7.5-million extension with the San Diego Padres. . . . The Oakland Athletics activated designated hitter John Jaha. . . . The Red Sox activated third baseman John Valentin. . . . Florida Marlin right-hander Reid Cornelius underwent shoulder surgery and is out for the season.