Originally published Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 12:00 AM
PrintGame of the Day | D-backs' Randy Johnson starts strong in return after back surgery
Randy Johnson had a hard time finding the strike zone in his season debut, eight months after back surgery. Still, the San Francisco Giants...
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SAN FRANCISCO — APRIL 14: Randy Johnson #51 of the Arizona Diamondbacks pitches against the San Francisco Giants during a Major League Baseball game on March 14, 2008 at AT&T Park in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) 80324144
SAN FRANCISCO — Randy Johnson had a hard time finding the strike zone in his season debut, eight months after back surgery.
Still, the San Francisco Giants didn't get many good swings against him.
The Big Unit did not allow an earned run in five innings, settling down to finish with seven strikeouts and four walks before San Francisco rallied against Arizona's bullpen for a 5-4 victory over the Diamondbacks on Monday night.
"I've got a lot of room for improvement, but considering the situation I know that things will get a lot better," Johnson said. "I felt like I was kind of battling out there and finding myself behind in the count. Obviously with the outcome, it's kind of disappointing. I felt like if the game's pitched a little bit better by myself early in the game the outcome probably isn't what it is."
The Giants loaded the bases in the seventh with no outs against reliever Chad Qualls (0-1), who allowed Ray Durham's tying RBI ground out followed by Bengie Molina's go-ahead sacrifice fly.
Keiichi Yabu (1-1), who pitched after undergoing dental surgery earlier in the day, worked two scoreless innings for his first win since May 20, 2005.
Conor Jackson drove in three runs for the Diamondbacks, who had their eight-game winning streak snapped Sunday against Colorado and lost consecutive games for the second time this season.
Johnson walked slowly to the mound, head down and already holding a 2-0 lead after Jackson's two-run homer in the first. He was one of only a few players to wear short sleeves on a blustery Bay Area night, when the first-pitch temperature was 52 degrees.
Jackson also had an RBI double in the third and Justin Upton had a run-scoring single that inning.
Johnson, who has 284 wins, gave up three hits and three unearned runs. It took him five pitches to throw his first strike after a four-pitch leadoff walk to Randy Winn. He struck out Rowand on an 83 mph slider, then gave up another four-pitch walk to Durham before retiring Rich Aurilia on a called third strike. Johnson got out of the inning on 18 pitches, eight for strikes.
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
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