Another Big Game for Johnson

His 20-strikeout game was a masterpiece. This one was just old-fashioned hard work.

Randy Johnson struck out 12 in an exhausting eight innings Sunday as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-1, at Phoenix.

“I was running on fumes from about the sixth inning on,” he said.

Johnson, who threw a season-high 146 pitches in his first outing since he struck out 20 against Cincinnati on Tuesday, fell a strikeout short of Kerry Wood’s record of 33 in consecutive games.

“He was not as dominating as he was the last time out, which for me made this performance almost as impressive,” Arizona Manager Bob Brenly said.

Johnson did earn a share of the major league record for strikeouts in consecutive starts involving an extra-inning game. Even if he had struck out 13, he wouldn’t have officially tied Wood because Tuesday’s game went into extra innings, even though Johnson didn’t.

Mark Grace hit a grand slam off Ricky Bottalico in the eighth inning--his third career slam. Reggie Sanders hit his third two-run home run in two games for the Diamondbacks, off starter Robert Person.

Johnson (4-3) gave up four hits, walked four and hit a batter. He tied the record set by Luis Tiant of Cleveland, who struck out 13 on June 29, 1968, and 19 in a 19-inning game on July 3, 1968.

“It was a long game,” Johnson said. “I had to battle. It was a night and day game from the other night.”

Johnson hit double-digits in strikeouts for the seventh consecutive game, the longest such streak of his career.

Bret Prinz pitched the ninth.

Person (3-4) was thrown out of the game by plate umpire Jerry Meals after hitting Sanders in the back with a pitch in the sixth.

“I don’t think there’s a doubt in anybody’s mind it was done intentionally, as much as they would like to argue the other side of that,” Brenly said.

But Person and Philadelphia Manager Larry Bowa said there was no way the Phillies would be throwing at anybody in that situation.

“Why is a guy going to hit a guy on purpose in a 2-1 game?” Bowa said. “It makes no sense.”

Person said he struggled with his control all day.

“I don’t care what it looked like, there was no intent,” Person said. “I’ll be the first to tell you, I’m not Greg Maddux. I can’t throw the ball where I want it every time. And, you know, Randy’s pitching. I’m not going to try to get somebody killed.”

Both dugouts and bullpens cleared, but it was mostly shouting and a little shoving.

St. Louis 13, Chicago 4--Fernando Vina hit a bases-loaded triple and the Cardinals battered wild Kerry Wood (1-4) and the Cubs to wrap up a perfect seven-game homestand at St. Louis.

Jim Edmonds and J.D. Drew homered in the third inning and rookie Albert Pujols hit his 13th home run for St. Louis.

The three-game sweep put St. Louis in first place in the NL Central, a half-game ahead of the Cubs. Chicago had been either in first place or tied for the spot since April 15.

Cub third baseman Bill Mueller broke his left kneecap trying to catch a foul popup and is expected to miss two months.

San Francisco 6, New York 3--Rich Aurilia hit a solo home run and a two-run double at San Francisco as the Giants handed the Mets their sixth consecutive loss.

Reliever Chad Zerbe (1-0) unexpectedly started after Shawn Estes was scratched at the last minute because he had trouble loosening up in the bullpen before the game. Zerbe gave up two unearned runs and two hits in five innings.

After the game, the Giants put Estes on the 15-day disabled list because of tendinitis in his left shoulder and purchased the contract of right-hander Ryan Jensen from triple-A Fresno.

Montreal 14, Colorado 10--Milton Bradley had career highs with four hits and five runs batted in, and Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Vidro hit two-run homers to lead the Expos at Denver.

Milwaukee 4, Pittsburgh 1--Ben Sheets (4-2) pitched seven strong innings to win his fourth consecutive start and Jeromy Burnitz hit a home run for the Brewers at Milwaukee.

Florida 10, San Diego 4--Pinch-hitter Charles Johnson connected for his first career grand slam, rallying the Marlins at San Diego.

Johnson added an RBI single in a five-run eighth, keyed by Cliff Floyd’s bases-loaded triple.

Houston 4, Cincinnati 3--Chris Truby’s bases-loaded double completed a four-run first inning off Jim Brower (2-1) at Cincinnati, leading the Astros to their seventh victory in 10 games.

The Reds fell to 6-12 at Cinergy Field, the NL’s worst home record.

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Strike a Pose

The most strikeouts recorded in consecutive games by one pitcher with the player’s team, dates, and combined innings pitched (x-rookie):

33--x-Kerry Wood, Chicago (NL), May 6 and 12, 1998, 16 innings

32--Randy Johnson, Arizona, May 8 and 13, 2001, 17 innings

32--Randy Johnson, Seattle, Aug. 8 and 16, 1997, 17 innings

32--Dwight Gooden, New York Mets, Sept. 12 and 17, 1984, 17 innings

32--Nolan Ryan, Angels, Aug. 7 and 12, 1974, 17 2-3 innings

32--Luis Tiant, Cleveland, June 29 and July 3, 1968, 19 innings