Monday, August 26, 2002
Diamondbacks 7, Cubs 0
The Associated Press
PHOENIX — Even by his own incredible standards, Randy Johnson was bringing it Sunday. His fastball has never been faster. His slider topped out at 90 mph.
“I just woke up today and I was a power pitcher,” he said with a straight face, “you know, lo and behold.”
Johnson struck out 16 to earn his 19th victory as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Chicago Cubs 7-0.
“Velocity alone, this was by far his best game of the season,” Arizona manager Bob Brenly said. “We had him at 102 mph on the strikeout pitch to end the seventh. He hit 100 two other times, 99 two times and 98 seven times.”
Johnson's win total is second in the majors to teammate Curt Schilling's 21. He scattered six hits and walked two to improve to 11-0 in 12 starts against the Cubs, who were missing Sammy Sosa because of a sore neck.
In seven starts since allowing eight runs in five innings of a loss at San Diego, Johnson is 6-0 with a 0.90 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 57 innings.
“I just feel like I'm locked in,” he said.
Johnson (19-4) reached double-digit strikeouts for the sixth start in a row, 14th time this season and 185th in his career, second only to Nolan Ryan's 213.
The shutout was the Big Unit's third this year — second in five starts — and 33rd of his career. He struck out four in a row twice in the game.
“That's as dominating as I've seen him,” Arizona catcher Chad Moeller said. “Sixteen strikeouts, and he said it, he didn't realize how hard he was throwing in the last inning. I'm looking up at the board and I see 99 up there. I mean it's unbelievable what that guy is capable of.”
Johnson, who has had Moeller rather than Damian Miller as his catcher lately, praised Moeller's performance.
The Big Unit said Moeller called for Johnson's newest pitch, the split-finger fastball, and it worked for two strikeouts.
“That's something I wouldn't have thought of,” Johnson said.
Alex Gonzalez tripled with one out in the ninth, but Johnson fanned Chad Hermansen and Joe Girardi to preserve the shutout. The 16 strikeouts were one short of Johnson's season high.
“When you can spot your fastball at 97, and he's coming from the side, it's tough to get anything going like we would have liked to,” Gonzalez said.
Erubiel Durazo ended an 0-for-8 drought with an RBI triple in the fourth inning for the only run Johnson needed. Durazo scored on a single by Matt Williams.
Johnson added a two-run single in a five-run eighth, and Williams had another RBI single.
The Diamondbacks finished their homestand 5-1 and have won 26 of their last 32 games overall. They are 32-11 since the All-Star break.
Johnson is scheduled to go for his 20th win Friday, the deadline set by players for a strike if there is no collective bargaining agreement. Asked if he thought he'd make that start, Johnson said, “I'm very optimistic. The glass is half-full.”
Sosa, the NL's home run leader, returned to Chicago and will see a doctor Monday if the soreness in his neck persists.
Carlos Zambrano, winless in his last seven starts, held Arizona to one hit through three innings. Luis Gonzalez led off the fourth with a single and scored on Durazo's soaring shot off the wall above the 407-foot sign in center, his first triple since Sept. 12, 1999.
Williams bounced a hit over third baseman Bill Mueller to bring home Durazo and make it 2-0.
Zambrano (2-5) allowed only four hits in six innings but walked six.
“For 7 1/2 innings that was a heck of a ballgame,” Cubs manager Bruce Kimm said. “We had one decent opportunity, but those great pitchers, they're hard to get. Even when you get them in trouble, when you have the stuff he has, they get out of it more times than not.”
Chicago loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth on a one-out walk to Angel Echevarria, a single by Moises Alou and a two-out infield hit by Gonzalez. But Hermansen popped out to second to end the inning.
The Cubs threatened again when Echevarria and Alou singled to start the sixth. Chris Stynes struck out, Gonzalez flied out to deep right and Hermansen struck out to strand runners at first and third.
Hermansen dropped Chad Moeller's flyball in center for a two-base error leading off the seventh. Johnson tried to sacrifice Moeller to third, but reliever Joe Borowski threw the runner out on a close play.
Notes: Chicago activated RHP Juan Cruz from the 15-day disabled list (strained right arm) and optioned RHP Steve Smyth to Triple-A Iowa. ... Barring a strike, Arizona's next 13 games are against NL West rivals Los Angeles and San Francisco. ... The Cubs have lost 14 of their last 16 at Bank One Ballpark. ... It was Arizona's last home game before Friday's strike deadline. ... Girardi and Mark Bellhorn fanned three times each.
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Diamondbacks 7, Cubs 0
