Andrew Baggarly
Mercury News
andy Johnson didn't have to strike out Chipper Jones three times to make his 299th career win a satisfying experience.
But it sure did help.
Even at 45, Johnson isn't too old to settle scores. Jones entered with six home runs against the Big Unit — more than any other player, active or retired — yet the switch hitter failed to put a ball into play as Johnson pitched the Giants to a 6-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night at AT&T Park.
"We're still not even," Johnson deadpanned. "He's still got some real good numbers against me."
His scowl replaced with calm self-assuredness, Johnson allowed a run and three hits in six innings, struck out five and didn't walk a batter while winning for the first time in three starts.
The 6-foot-10 left-hander is on the verge of becoming the 24th pitcher in major league history to win 300 games. And now, the pursuit hits the road. Giants Manager Bruce Bochy doesn't intend to use open dates today and Monday to alter the rotation. So Johnson's next starts would fall Wednesday at Washington, then June 8 at Florida.
Barring injury or other unforeseen circumstances to the rotation, Johnson's next start at AT&T Park wouldn't come until June 13 against the A's.
Since signing with the Giants, Johnson has offered reporters plenty of career reminisces but consistently deflected queries about his 300th win. The Livermore native can't deny it's on his mind now. "Anxiety? A little nervous? Yeah, I guess," Johnson said, smiling. "In a perfect world, I'd love to do it in San Francisco in front of the fans and ownership, and make things easier on family and friends. We're all going to the East Coast now." Before the game, Johnson received a visit from Braves announcer and 324-game winner Don Sutton. "He told me, 'It's 300. It doesn't matter where you get it. It'll be exciting,'" Johnson said. Aaron Rowand doubled twice and turned a busted hit-and-run into the first steal of home in his career, leading the Giants to their first three-game home sweep over the Braves since 2003. Johnson had dominated the Braves in recent years, allowing just one run in 22 innings spanning his previous three starts against them — a run that began memorably on May 18, 2004, when he tossed a perfect game for Arizona at Turner Field. Jones was the only common thread between Atlanta's lineup that perfect day and its starting nine Wednesday. But Jones had been one of Johnson's sharpest thorns over the years, hitting .394 with six homers in 33 career at-bats. Jones had plenty of chances to draw blood, but Johnson turned him aside each time. He caught Jones looking at a slider at the knees in the first inning. In the fourth, Jones failed to put a ball in play with a runner at third and one out. Johnson called that confrontation his most important of the game. "He's starting to command the outside corner. He never used to do that," said Jones. "He used to be fairly predictable in what he was going to throw. He's becoming crafty. "That slider is still nasty. And he's still 6-foot-10." Johnson had to defeat his nemesis one more time in the sixth after Casey Kotchman's two-out single trimmed the Giants' lead to 2-1. After pitching coach Dave Righetti visited the mound, ostensibly to give Brandon Medders more time to warm up, Johnson battled Jones to a full count before slipping an 89 mph fastball past his bat. "Chipper was his last hitter. He knew it," Bochy said. "He went 3-0 and still got him. It shows you how competitive Randy is." Jones, who won the N.L. batting title last year with a .364 average, also struck out against Merkin Valdez in the eighth inning. It was the first career four-strikeout game for Jones, who is playing with a sprained right big toe. "I have no back foot," Jones said. "I can't push off. I'm lunging really hard, really bad. It made everything Randy threw tonight 4-5 mph harder. He caught me at a good time." Perhaps that proves even 45-year-old pitchers can have time on their side. And now, after 22 years of time and pressure, a milestone is about to crack. "You're talking 15 wins for 20 seasons or 20 wins for 15," Rowand said. "That's just ridiculous." From: MLB.com
 Atlanta (23-23) Lost 3 | San Francisco 6, Atlanta 3 |  San Francisco (23-23) Won 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Standings thru 5/27/09 | Recap: ATL | SF | Wrap | Gameday |
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