'Big Unit', Astros Stop Braves

Power beats finesse -- this time, at least.

Randy Johnson's 97 mph fastball was too much for Greg Maddux's diverse repertoire Wednesday night, especially when Maddux's pitches kept floating over the center of the plate and winding up in the outfield seats.

The Big Unit dominated Atlanta for eight innings and easily won the head-to-head showdown with four-time Cy Young winner Maddux as the Houston Astros defeated the Braves 4-2 Wednesday night.

"Greg Maddux is probably the best pitcher in all of baseball along with Roger Clemens," said Johnson, who allowed only four hits and struck out 10.

"He's much more intelligent than I am because he doesn't have a 95 or 98 mph fastball. I would tell any pitcher who wants to be successful to watch him, because he's the true definition of a pitcher," he said."

Well, not on this night.

It was a game that had a chance to provide a brief respite in this Year of the Homer. Instead, taking a cue from the exploits of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, the Astros pounded Maddux (17-7) for 10 hits in seven innings, scoring all of their runs on three homers.

Maddux has allowed a career-high three homers twice in his last two starts after avoiding that fate in the first 396 games of his career.

"They

(AP)

Johnson (6-1) had double-figure strikeouts for the 99th time, second in baseball history to Nolan Ryan's 215.

Johnson batted in the ninth and began warming up for the final inning before feeling a cramp in his left leg. The trainer came out and then walked back to the dugout with the pitcher at his side.

"Everything is fine," Johnson said. "I must have gotten dehydrated."

The Astros ace retired 14 of the last 15 hitters he faced before Billy Wagner worked the ninth for his 27th save despite giving up a homer to Andruw Jones.

Jeff Bagwell hit a solo homer in the second, his 29th, and Craig Biggio put the Astros head for good with a two-run drive in the fifth. Sean Berry tagged Mad Dog for a leadoff homer in the seventh.

Johnson faced a weakened Braves lineup. Andres Galarraga began a three-game suspension for charging the mound in an Aug. 22 game against Los Angeles, while Walt Weiss continued to rest an ailing quadriceps.

"A lot of things will change the next time we face them," Johnson said, looking ahead to a possible postseason matchup. "But I'm pleased with the end result."

The Braves were forced to go with two left-handed hitters, Ozzie Guillen and Ryan Klesko -- not exactly the way to attack a 6-foot-10 left-hander who has struck out 2,284 in his career and has the highest average per nine innings in major-league history.

The Braves tried to be patient against Johnson, drawing three walks in the first three innings, and take advantage of his high leg kick once they got on base. Atlanta had three stolen bases, including Gerald Williams' swipe in the first inning that set up a run-scoring single by Javy Lopez.

What happens when a game seems more important than others is the adrenaline starts flowing before the game," Houston manager Larry Dierker said. "You feel tired when you shouldn't be."

But Johnson blamed an unfamiliar mound and the Georgia humidity, which caused him to change his shirts three times. He finally settled into a groove after giving up a leadoff single to Klesko in the fourth. He retired 11 in a row, five on strikeouts, before Guillen's double to begin the eighth.

"He was very tenacious," Dierker said of Johnson. "In the first four innings, they weren't swinging and missing at all. That tells me he wasn't hitting spots or getting movement on his pitches. He struggled to keep them to one run, then he got his rhythm."

Maddux never found his rhythm. He allowed a hit in every inning but the sixth, and five times allowed the leadoff hitter to reach base. The Atlanta pitcher gave up double-figure hits for only ththird time this season, but it has happened twice in his last three starts, his ERA climbing to 2.07.

Johnson has four complete games and an ERA of 1.17 since joining the Astros in a July 31 trade with Seattle. He provides an awesome weapon for Houston should these teams meet again in the postseason, a definite possibility with both cruising toward division titles.

Chipper Jones, who came in hitting .319 with 32 homers and 100 RBI, was no match for Johnson's frightening arsenal. The Atlanta third baseman struck out on a slider that dipped toward his feet in the first, took a called third strike right down the middle in the third, and went down swinging again in the eighth.

"Scary," Jones said. "I wouldn't like to have this experience in the playoffs."

At the plate, Johnson seemed to take offense at a high, tight fastball from Maddux in the second. The Big Unit glared at his counterpart while Maddux pawed around the mound, seemingly unconcerned, before Johnson grounded out on the next pitch.

"I was wondering if he was trying to send me a message," Johnson said, grinning. "I guess he knew he had to come up, too."

Notes