Johnson’s Strikeouts to Go in Record Book

Randy Johnson’s 20 strikeouts in a game last week against the Cincinnati Reds will be listed as a record after all.

The Elias Sports Bureau, baseball’s official statistician, will list Johnson’s 20-strikeout performance right below the two by Roger Clemens and one by Kerry Wood in next year’s record book.

There will be a notation showing that Johnson pitched nine innings in an 11-inning game.

Johnson struck out 20 Reds in Arizona on May 8, but left with the score tied after nine innings. The Diamondbacks won the game, 4-3, in 11 innings.

Pitcher Jose Paniagua of the Seattle Mariners was suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount for throwing at Manny Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox in a May 9 game at Boston.

Frank Robinson, major league baseball’s vice president of on-field operations, also fined Red Sox pitcher Frank Castillo an undisclosed amount for hitting John Olerud in the same game.

Darryl Strawberry will learn today in Tampa, Fla., if his public battles with drugs, depression and cancer will continue behind bars or in a residential treatment center in rural Florida.

Circuit Judge Florence Foster is scheduled to sentence the former New York Yankee and eight-time all-star for a four-day drug binge nearly two months ago.

Strawberry wants to be placed in a treatment program. Prosecutors and Strawberry’s probation officer are asking that he be sent to prison for 18 months.

John Smoltz, who hasn’t pitched for the Atlanta Braves since the 1999 World Series, returns to the mound tonight against the Colorado Rockies.

Patience--never one of Smoltz’s strongest virtues--will be at a premium some 14 months after elbow surgery and 568 days after his last start.

“My competitive spirit will want to win the game, but I’ve got to take steps to be as good as I can for the entire year,” he said. “That’s not going to happen real easy.”

Detroit Tiger bullpen coach Ed Ott, recovering from chest pains, was expected to leave the hospital today. Ott, 49, was admitted to Maryland Shock Trauma Center several hours before the Tigers’ game against the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday after experiencing chest pains. . . . Outfielder Kenny Lofton of the Cleveland Indians was put on the 15-day disabled list because of a pulled muscle in his side and Mark Lewis was called up from triple-A Buffalo. . . . The Oakland Athletics put designated hitter John Jaha and outfielder Jeremy Giambi on the 15-day disabled list. Jaha suffered a strained left thigh muscle trying to avoid a high and inside pitch from Roger Clemens during the fifth inning in Tuesday night’s 3-2 victory over the Yankees. Jaha started the season on the disabled list and had played in only five games with the A’s this season. Giambi aggravated a left hamstring strain he suffered May 9. . . . The Chicago Cubs put outfielder Damon Buford on waivers for the purpose of giving him his unconditional release and purchased the contract of outfielder Todd Dunwoody from triple-A Iowa. . . . Houston Astro infielder Bill Spiers had surgery to remove a cyst and ruptured disc from his lower back. . . . Texas Ranger catcher Ivan Rodriguez says he will be ready to come off the disabled list and play today against the Cleveland Indians. He went on the DL May 3 with a severe bone bruise on his left heel.