Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson won the National League Cy Young Award, easily defeating teammate Curt Schilling to take the honor for the third straight year.

        Johnson, 38, received 30 of 32 first-place votes cast in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Schilling received the other two first-place votes.

        “If I were to retire today, I think this would be my best season,” Johnson said. “But I'd like to think with hard work and determination I could get better.”

        “I'm pleased and surprised to win the award,” Johnson said in a media teleconference. “I talked to Curt earlier today and I know he's happy for me.”

        Johnson is only the fourth pitcher to win the award at least four times. Roger Clemens is a five-time winner, while Steve Carlton and Greg Maddux have each won the award four times. He went 21-6 this season and helped the Diamondbacks win their first World Series title.

        He led the National League with a 2.49 earned run average and 372 strikeouts, 11 shy of Nolan Ryan's single-season record.Johnson won Games 6 and 7 of the World Series against the New York Yankees and was named co-Most Valuable Player of the series with Schilling. The two pitchers combined for a 9-1 record and a 1.30 ERA in the postseason.

        “After I received the Cy Young last year, I stated that my dream season would be to win World Series, not necessarily the Cy Young,” Johnson said. “We got there and we won it, so this has been a dream season.”

        St.Louis' Matt Morris finished third in the balloting. Chicago's Jon Lieber and Houston's Roy Oswalt were the only other pitchers to receive votes.

        Johnson received 156 total points to Schilling's 98 in the writers' balloting. Votes are tabulated on a 5-3-1 system.

        Schilling, who went 22-6 with a 2.98 ERA and 293 strikeouts, finished second on 29 ballots and third on one ballot.

        Johnson and Schilling are the third teammates to finish 1-2 in Cy Young Award voting. The others were Don Newcombe and Sal Maglie with the 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers, and Mike Marshall and Andy Messersmith of the 1974 Los Angeles Dodgers.

        The American League Cy Young Award will be announced Thursday.

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