A Rocky Start for Arizona, Johnson

Shawn Estes outpitched Randy Johnson. Not a bad start for a player who had to battle his way into the Colorado rotation.

Estes gave up two hits in seven innings, Charles Johnson hit a two-run homer off the Arizona left-hander and the Rockies defeated the Diamondbacks, 6-2, Tuesday night at Phoenix, their first opening-day victory in three years.

It was a big game for Luis Gonzalez, no matter which team he was on. Arizona’s Gonzalez hit two solo home runs, and Colorado’s Gonzalez hit a two-run homer in his major league debut.

Todd Helton had four hits and scored two runs as Colorado ended an eight-game losing streak against Randy Johnson.

After going 13-23 the last two seasons with three teams, Estes had become a castoff -- discounted much like the Rockies.

“No one is giving us a whole lot of credit. I mean, zero credit up to this point,” Estes said.

Randy Johnson was encouraged despite the loss. He gave up three runs and six hits while striking out six in six innings.

“Overall I felt pretty good,” he said. “I felt my velocity was there. The command of most of my pitches was there, especially my slider and my fastball.”

Florida 4, Montreal 3 -- Hee Seop Choi homered and drove in three runs, and Josh Beckett gave up one run in seven innings as the Marlins won at Miami.

Matt Perisho earned the victory by retiring Brian Schneider with the bases loaded to end the eighth, and Armando Benitez survived a home run and double in the ninth for the save.

Manager Jack McKeon, 73, got his first opening-day win since 1977, when he was with Oakland.

Milwaukee 7, St. Louis 5 -- The Brewers got home runs from newcomers Craig Counsell, Lyle Overbay and Chad Moeller to win at St. Louis.

Winning pitcher Doug Davis worked into the seventh inning, and the Brewers battered St. Louis pitching for the second consecutive day.

New York Mets 7, Atlanta 2 -- Kaz Matsui homered on the first major league pitch he saw, and Tom Glavine beat his former team for the first time, leading the Mets to victory at Atlanta.

The Mets’ Mike Piazza hit a long home run off losing pitcher Russ Ortiz.