Johnson Wins 24th for Diamondbacks

Randy Johnson pitched a six-hitter for his major league-leading 24th victory, and the Arizona Diamondbacks ended a losing streak at six by defeating the Colorado Rockies, 4-2, Thursday night at Phoenix.

Matt Williams tripled in three runs as the Diamondbacks (95-64) reduced their magic number to win the National League West to two. Arizona, which already has clinched a playoff berth, leads San Francisco (92-66) by 2 1/2 games.

Arizona outfielder Quinton McCracken had to be helped from the field after he fouled a ball off his left foot for the second time in the game in the seventh inning.

Johnson (24-5) struck out eight to finish the regular season with 334. He has led the majors in strikeouts each of his four seasons with Arizona. His season strikeout total is the 10th highest in major league history.

Johnson pulled ahead of teammate Curt Schilling (23-7) for the most victories in the majors. Johnson’s previous career-best was 21 victories last year.

St. Louis 9, Milwaukee 1--J.D. Drew homered for the third consecutive game and Matt Morris rebounded from two shaky starts, leading the Cardinals over the Brewers at St. Louis.

The NL Central champions won their fifth in a row to stay ahead of Arizona in the race for home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Morris (17-9) allowed six hits and a run in seven innings.

On the brink of tying the major league record for strikeouts in a season, Milwaukee’s Jose Hernandez was held out of the lineup. Hernandez has struck out 188 times this season, one shy of the mark set by Bobby Bonds in 1970.

Cincinnati 1, Chicago 0--Danny Graves became the latest pitcher to contain Sammy Sosa, allowing four hits over six innings in the Reds’ victory at Chicago. Sosa, who needs two homers to become the first player to reach 50 in five seasons, went one for four with a strikeout and two groundouts. He hasn’t homered in 22 plate appearances since Friday and has five homers in the last 22 games.

Montreal 4, Florida 3--Jamey Carroll singled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning to lift the Expos at Montreal. Vladimir Guerrero had a single in four at-bats to remain one home run short of becoming the fourth player in major league history with 40 homers and 40 steals in the same season.

Atlanta at Philadelphia--The game between the Braves and Phillies was canceled because of rain and will not be made up. The Braves (98-58) already have clinched home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.

New York at Pittsburgh--The game between the Mets and Pirates was canceled because of rain and will not be made up.