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  Sunday, Apr. 9 4:35pm ET
D-Backs' defense preserves 1-0 victory
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

PHOENIX (AP) -- With baseballs flying out of ballparks across America, a pitching duel seems to be an endangered species. But there was a dandy in Bank One Ballpark on Sunday.

Randy Johnson pitched a five-hitter and struck out 13 to beat Jason Schmidt as the Arizona Diamondbacks finished a season-opening homestand by defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0.

"A game like today is extra special, because you realize that any mistake by the pitcher could be the ballgame," Johnson said. "I had no room to make any mistakes."

There were several crucial plays that saved the Diamondbacks.

Steve Finley raced from first to third on Travis Lee's bloop single with one out in the seventh, then scored on Lenny Harris' sacrifice fly. Shortstop Tony Womack leaped high to keep third baseman Lenny Harris' throw to second base on Schmidt's sacrifice bunt in the sixth and scooped up the ball that glanced off Jay Bell's glove for a force out in the ninth. Harris knocked down Mike Benjamin's sharp hit that was headed for extra bases to lead off the sixth.

"It's the little things like that that sometimes go unnoticed by the fans," Johnson said. "But when you're out on the mound in the ninth inning, a play like that is critical."

Johnson (2-0) didn't walk a batter.

"That's the thing that's taken him to the next level is his command," Arizona manager Buck Showalter said. "Most guys his size end up in the bullpen because they can't stay together mechanically over a long outing."

Johnson got his 26th career shutout and 69th complete game. On Tuesday, he left with one out to go in Arizona's 6-4, season-opening victory over Philadelphia.

"Every time he walks out there if he doesn't strike out 10 and give up five or six hits and throw a shutout or give up one or two runs, the first question is 'What's wrong?"' Showalter said. "That's a heck of a thing to operate under every time out."

Johnson, who struck out the side in the third and eighth, has 127 double-digit strikeout games in his career, including both of his starts this season.

"When I was with the White Sox, I think he threw harder more consistently," Pittsburgh manager Gene Lamont said. "As far as control, I think that was the best I've seen him."

Schmidt (0-2) allowed four hits in seven innings, struck out five and walked four, one intentionally.

"He was awesome," Finley said. "That's as good as we've seen anybody throw in a while."

But that was little consolation to Schmidt.

"A loss is a loss," he said. "You can't say just because it's against Randy Johnson it's no big deal. It is a big deal."

In the seventh, Finley singled to right with one out, then took a chance and took off for third on Lee's blooper that dropped in for a hit. Harris followed with a sacrifice fly to left for his team-high seventh RBI.

Schmidt didn't allow a hit until Jay Bell's leadoff single in the fourth. Bell moved to second on a wild pitch, then Erubiel Durazo walked with one out. But Schmidt struck out Finley and Lee to escape.

After Kendall doubled down the left-field line on the game's first pitch, Johnson retired the next 11 batters, six by strikeouts.

Kendall and Meares singled with one out in the ninth, and Brian Giles hit a ball that short-hopped off the glove of Bell and was fielded by Womack, who ran to second for the forceout. Johnson then struck out Young for the second time to end it.

Womack ended an 0-for-15 slump with a leadoff single in the sixth, but was picked off by Schmidt.

Pittsburgh made a couple of big defensive plays behind Schmidt. Benjamin, who has streak of 78 games without an error, made a diving stop of Johnson's grounder to second in the sixth. Young made a leaping stab of Harris' liner to first in the fifth inning.

Game notes
Durazo, the replacement for injured Matt Williams in the cleanup spot for Arizona, was 0-for-2 and has just two hits in 17 at bats. ... Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight sat in Diamondbacks owner Jerry Colangelo's seats near the Arizona dugout and received more boos than cheers when he was introduced to the crowd. ... Arizona's Todd Stottlemyre, whose father, Mel, announced Sunday that he has cancer, will pitch at San Diego on Monday in the Padres' home opener. ... Johnson is 86-25 when he strikes out at least 10.

 


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