Johnson Is Shaky, but Still Effective

For most of the long first inning, Randy Johnson looked beatable. Then he quickly put a stop to such thinking.

Johnson settled down after a shaky start, and the Arizona Diamondbacks ended a three-game losing streak by defeating the Colorado Rockies, 8-4, Thursday night at Denver.

The Diamondbacks improved to 5-0 in games started by Johnson and Curt Schilling. When the World Series co-MVPs do not pitch, Arizona is 0-5.

Johnson (3-0) survived a rocky first inning in which he gave up two runs and only one hit and threw 37 pitches. He then limited Colorado to two hits over the next six innings, striking out nine.

The four-time Cy Young winner became the first NL pitcher to win three games this season.

Johnson’s first inning was so rough that the Diamondbacks had Miguel Batista warming up.

“Randy had trouble getting loose in the bullpen,” Manager Bob Brenly said. “His velocity was way down in the first inning. As his pitch count climbed into the 30s, we became concerned.

“As the game went on, he loosened up and got the velocity back. For my money, that’s one of the best games he’s pitched. With the way he started, for him to regroup and come after a good hitting team the way he did was tremendous.”

Johnson said his shoulder has felt tired since his last start, calling it “dead arm.”

“I’m not going to kid anybody,” he said. “If I don’t have an overpowering fastball and slider, I am as vulnerable as anybody out there. I minimized the damage in the first inning. As the game went on, I hit my spots better.”

New York 3, Chicago 2--Pedro Astacio took a shutout into the eighth inning and Scott Strickland’s quick reaction started a double play to preserve the lead as the Mets won at Chicago.

Astacio (2-0) gave up five hits and struck out nine, losing his shutout when Sammy Sosa hit his fourth homer with one out in the eighth.

After Sosa’s homer made it 3-1, the Cubs loaded the bases with one out. Strickland relieved and made the play of the game, snaring pinch-hitter Mario Encarnacion’s liner through the middle and then throwing to third to double off Fred McGriff.

St. Louis 6, Milwaukee 5--Tino Martinez, mired in an early slump, drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning as the Cardinals completed a sweep with their third consecutive victory by the same score at St. Louis.

Martinez, who signed a $21 million, three-year deal to replace the retired Mark McGwire at first base, has been pressing and is batting .138 with four runs batted in. But he got the job done against Mike DeJean with the bat on his shoulder.

Dave Veres (2-0) pitched 11/3 innings for the victory, leaving with two men on in the ninth. Steve Kline came on and got two strikeouts for his first save.

Atlanta 6, Philadelphia 2--Tom Glavine pitched seven shutout innings and Vinny Castilla homered and drove in three runs to lead the Braves at Philadelphia.

Glavine (2-0) gave up three hits and lowered his earned-run average to 0.89. He won his seventh consecutive decision, dating to last season.

Florida 7, Montreal 5--Julian Tavarez did just enough--with his arm, his bat and his legs--to help the Marlins end a three-game losing streak in front of a franchise-low 4,466 fans.

Tavarez (1-1) gave up six hits and four runs in 52/3 innings at Miami. He had a two-out, two-strike drag-bunt single that tied the game in the fourth and kept the inning alive for the Marlins to go ahead for good.

Cincinnati 3, Pittsburgh 2--Juan Encarnacion, who moved up in the order as Red Manager Bob Boone again juggled his lineup, homered and drove in all three runs against the Pirates at Pittsburgh.

Jimmy Haynes (1-1) limited the Pirates to six hits over 61/3 innings.