Wednesday, April 17, 2002
Diamondbacks 5, Cardinals 3
The Associated Press
PHOENIX — When a team wants to keep a winning streak going, Randy Johnson is a good guy to have on the mound — and on this night at the plate, too. Although not at his overpowering best, Johnson was good enough to become baseball's first four-game winner Tuesday as the Arizona Diamondbacks won their sixth in a row, 5-3 over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Johnson helped himself with an RBI double smashed over the head of center fielder Eli Marrero in the fourth inning.
“I think sometimes the fans get more excited about that than they do watching me pitch,” Johnson said. “I guess rightfully so because it's a novel idea that I go up there and get a base hit.”
Johnson (4-0) allowed three runs — the total he'd given up combined in his first three starts — and eight hits in seven innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Johnson had said after his last start that his arm was not as lively as it had been, felt better this time. He said the Cardinals just give him trouble.
“There might be some games when I overpower a team,” he said. “But this is a team that has good at bats against me.”
Steve Finley, who entered the game in a double switch in the eighth inning, homered off reliever Mike Matthews with two outs in the eighth to put Arizona up 5-3. It was the fourth homer for Finley, who had not started the last five games because of a sore back.
“Steve Finley finally convinced me he's fit and ready to play,” manager Bob Brenly said.
With the St. Louis bench filled with left-handed pinch-hit possibilities because they didn't start against Johnson, lefty Mike Myers pitched the ninth for his first save since June 2, 2000.
Junior Spivey was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and Greg Colbrunn 2-for-3 with an RBI double for the Diamondbacks, who have scored 48 runs in the six-game streak.
“To have an opportunity to play every day is so good,” said Spivey, who has become Arizona's everyday second baseman with Craig Counsell replacing injured Matt Williams at third. “I just feel good every day.”
Albert Pujols drove in two runs for St. Louis with a homer and an RBI double.
“Pujols has great at bats against me,” Johnson said. “I'm still trying to figure a way to get him out.”
Arizona goes for a three-game sweep Wednesday in a matchup of 3-0 pitchers Curt Schilling and Matt Morris.
Counting his final 24 regular-season starts last season and six in the postseason, Johnson is 25-3. He is 9-0 in his last nine starts since losing to St. Louis in the divisional series.
Bud Smith (0-1), who beat Arizona in last year's division playoffs, allowed four runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings in his second start since being recalled from Triple-A Memphis to replace injured Woody Williams.
Spivey's first homer of the season, on a 1-2 pitch, followed Jose Guillen's one-out walk to give the Diamondbacks a 2-0 lead in the second.
Arizona added a run in the third on consecutive singles by Danny Bautista and Luis Gonzalez and Colbrunn's double down the right-field line.
Pujols' 409-foot homer to lead off the fourth made it 3-1.
After Johnson's RBI double in the fourth put Arizona up 4-1, the Cardinals scored twice in the sixth. Placido Polanco led off with a single, then scored from first on Pujols' double. A two-out single by Marerro drove in Pujols.
“We hit some balls hard. They played very good defense. Johnson was tough,” St. Louis manager Tony La Russa said. “You can't fault the way we went about it. We had a really strong game and got beat.”
Johnson's double haunted Smith.
“You take that back we've got a 3-3 game,” Smith said. “That right there hurt pretty bad.”
Notes: The Cardinals' Eduardo Perez was awarded ball four when reliever Eddie Oropesa went to his mouth on a 3-0 count with two outs in the eighth. ... RHP Rick Helling, who earned his first victory for the Diamondbacks on Monday night, was with his wife late Tuesday afternoon for the birth of their daughter, Josie. ... Morris and Schilling squared off twice in last year's playoffs, with Arizona winning 1-0 and 2-1. ... St. Louis 2B Fernando Vina turned 33 Tuesday and is on a six-game hitting streak.
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Diamondbacks 5, Cardinals 3
