Big 'U' Fans 17 In D'Backs Loss

All of Randy Johnson's strikeouts 31 over the last two games haven't amounted to a single win.

Johnson struck out a season-high 17 but Arizona managed only one hit off Ron Villone and Scott Williamson as the Cincinnati Reds scratched out a 2-0 victory Wednesday night, their ninth in a row.

For a second consecutive start, Johnson (9-5) had an overpowering performance undercut by the Diamondbacks' feeble offense. The left-hander struck out 14 last Friday but lost 1-0 when St. Louis rookie Jose Jimenez threw a no-hitter.

Johnson threw 95 strikes out of 133 pitches and lost as the Diamondbacks hit only three balls out of the infield.

Â"Those are the breaks, I guess,Â" Arizona's Bernard Gilkey said. Â"I feel bad for him.Â"

Dmitri Young hit a solo homer in the first the only homer Johnson has allowed Cincinnati during five career appearances and Jeffrey Hammonds added an RBI single in the eighth to spoil the left-hander's sixth complete game.

Asked how Johnson was taking it, manager Buck Showalter said, Â"I would think not very well. In fact, I know he isn't.Â"

When reporters finished with Showalter, public relations director Mike Swanson said of Johnson, Â"He isn't taking it so well that he's got nothing to say.Â"

Villone was willing to talk, but was at a loss to explain how he has become nearly unhittable after getting knocked around for three consecutive starts.

Villone, who made his first 162 major league appearances out of the bullpen, was nearly dropped from the rotation after giving up 13 runs in only 10 innings of his first three starts. He lasted only 23 pitches on June 19.

In his last two appearances, Villone has given up only two singles in 15 scoreless innings. He took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in Houston last Thursday before Tony Eusebio singled with one out.

Â"I can't figure it out,Â" Villonsaid. Â"I'm just going up there with confidence now. I feel strong and the guys are playing well behind me. I've got a good feeling now and I want to keep it going.Â"

Villone allowed only three balls hit out of the infield. The farthest came from Johnson, who flied out to the warning track in right field in the third.

Williamson pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances.

Johnson allowed seven hits and finished with his 11th double-digit strikeout game this season and the 113th of his career. He also moved ahead of Christy Mathewson into 20th place on the career strikeout list with 2,517.

The Reds got the only run they needed with the combination of good strategy and a perfectly timed swing.

Young, a switch-hitter, made his first start at first base since last Sept. 7 because manager Jack McKeon wanted to use an all-righty lineup against Johnson. Young played in place of lefty Sean Casey, who leads the NL in hitting at .382.

Young worked Johnson to a full count, then fouled off three pitches the last a tip that deflected off the mitt of Damian Miller to keep the at-bat going.

Young pulled the next pitch, a hanging slider, into the third deck in left field for his second homer of the season and his first since May 11.

The 437-foot shot was most improbable Young hadn't even driven in a run since May 23, a span of 21 games.

Â"I'm just so happy to be able to take advantage of that,Â" said Young, who was hitting only .130 right-handed. Â"I know my brother's going to call me and say, 'What's it like hitting a homer off Randy Johnson?'

Â"I'll say it's nice, but the main thing is winning nine in a row. This is something I won't forget.Â"

Johnson got rolling in the middle innings, striking out five in a row at one point. After he fanned Barry Larkin on a down-and-in slider that contorted the shortstop, the two shared a laugh.

Â"It was a slider, but I thought it was a fastball,Â" Larkin said. Â"It was coming in about a billion mph, then it broke at the last second. I tried to adjust my swing. I just couldn't believe it. That's how good his stuff was.Â"

Pinch-hitter Chris Stynes, batting .061, singled in the eighth, stole second and came around on Hammonds' two-out single for the Reds' other run.

Notes: It was the fourth 17-strikeout game of Johnson's career and his first since Aug. 8, 1997, against the Chicago White Sox. ... The Diamondbacks were 12-14 in June, their first losing month this season. Arizona was 13-11 in April and 18-10 in May. ... Arizona's starters are winless since June 19, a span of 10 games. ... The Reds went 18-9 in the month for their best June since 1992, when they had an identical record. ... Cincinnati's nine wins have come during a stretch of 14 games against Arizona and Houston. ... The nine-game winning streak is Cincinnati's best since it won 10 straight last season.

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