| | PHOENIX -- In the team's first playoff game, Randy Johnson wasn't enough for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
After giving up four early runs, Johnson made it to the ninth
inning with the score tied at 4. And after the Big Unit left,
Edgardo Alfonzo hit a grand slam that sent the Diamondbacks to an 8-4 loss to the New York Mets in their NL playoff opener Tuesday
night.
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ON THE LOSING END
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In his career, Randy Johnson is 2-6 in the postseason. A look at his last six starts, all losses:
1995 ALCS, Game 6: With the Mariners, Johnson had a no-decision in
Game 3 against the Indians (two runs in eight innings) and was losing 1-0 in
Game 6 before tiring in the eighth. He allowed four runs (three earned) and
lost 4-0.
1997 Division Series, Game 1: The Orioles knocked around Johnson for
seven hits and five runs in five innings to win 9-3.
1997 Division Series, Game 4: Johnson fanned 13 in eight innings but
lost 3-1 to Mike Mussina and the Orioles.
1998 Division Series, Game 1: With the Astros, Johnson allowed nine
hits and two runs in eight innings, but lost 2-1 to the Padres' Kevin Brown,
who fanned 16.
1998 Division Series, Game 4: Johnson allowed three hits and two runs
(one earned) but left trailing 2-1 to Sterling Hitchcock. San Diego went on
to win 6-1.
1999 Division Series, Game 1: Johnson struggles early, but D-Backs battle back to tie game at 4. A tiring Johnson leaves with the bases loaded in the ninth and two batters later, Edgardo Alfonzo hits a grand slam for an 8-4 Mets win.
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It was a sad finish for Johnson, who lost his major
league-record sixth consecutive postseason decision.
Johnson also got his first playoff hit -- a one-out double in the
seventh inning when the score was tied at 4. But he blundered when
he wandered away from second base on Tony Womack's fly to left
field and was doubled off.
"I was obviously disappointed not knowing how many outs there were," Johnson said. "Essentially that was pretty much the way the night went for me."
Johnson, 17-9 with a league-leading 2.48 ERA, walked three batters before the ninth and paid for it.
John Olerud hit a two-run homer in the third after Rickey Henderson walked for a 3-0 lead.
And after Jay Bell's sacrifice fly in the third, Johnson allowed another run in the fourth when Robin Ventura doubled and scored on
a bunt by Rey Ordonez. It was the Mets' sixth hit.
But then Johnson regained his command, and pitched hitless ball
through the next four innings.
"I thought he had good stuff," said Olerud. "I thought he
threw the ball hard. He was able to throw his slider for strikes. I
think we took advantage of his mistakes."
Ventura singled leading off the ninth and Ordonez singled with
one out. After walking Melvin Mora on four pitches, Johnson was
lifted after 138 pitches and Bobby Chouinard relieved.
Then it seemed like Matt Williams saved the day, diving to his
left to smother Henderson's grounder to third and throwing
accurately to the plate to just get the forceout on Ventura.
But instead of bringing in Matt Mantei, who finished with 32 saves, Diamondbacks manager Buck Showalter left in Chouinard to face Alfonzo.
"I felt like he was best-suited for the situation," Showalter said. "He's done the job for us most of the year."
After working the count to 3-1, Alfonzo hit a drive down the left-field line, and it just stayed fair.
With that, the Diamondbacks lost in their entry to the postseason. Now they have to win three of four, starting Wednesday night.
All of a sudden, those 100 wins for Arizona don't mean so much.
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Alfonzo's two home runs too much for Diamondbacks
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