GB&U GAME 52 & 53: Big Unit Wins # 300 as Giants Sweep Twinbill

"I Only Have 211 More To Catch Cy Young." --Randy Johnson, June 4, 2009.

THE RESULTS: Randy Johnson became the sixth left-hander and 24th overall pitcher to win 300 games in his career, as the San Francisco Giants beat the Washington Nationals 5-2. before a small, rain-soaked crowd in the first game of the twi-night double-header.

Johnson went six strong innings, allowing just one unearned run on two hits and two walks. He struck out just two on the day, but relied on his defense to make several good plays behind him.

He made a good defensive play for himself as well. He knocked a comebacker down and scrambled--as much as a man 6'10" can scramble--to retrieve the ball, which had rolled toward second. The Big Unit reached down and flipped the ball to first--sprawling on the turf after the toss--to get Anderson Hernandez by half a step.

Johnson's win was preserved by closer Brian Wilson. With two outs and the bases loaded, Wilson went 3-2 on Adam Dunn, and Wilson got a called third strike on a fastball that seemed to be a bit low. Dunn argued--to no avail.


In Game Two, Matt Cain won his sixth straight game, beating the Nats 5-1. The game was called in the top of the sixth, and made final after a 67 minute rain delay.

Ross Detwiler gave up four earned in five and two-thirds. He actually pitched well until the heavy rain came in thetop of the sixth and the Giants put up three.

THE TAKEAWAY: All the attention was on the man going for #300, but the guy going for #3, Jordan Zimmermann, pitched pretty well himself. The 23-year old right hander went six innings, and gave up two earned runs on just three hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out seven.

He showed tremendous concentration, blocking out everything else going on, including the lousy weather, and tossed a gem.

As for the second game? Who knows. They shouldn't have been playing it anyway. It pured the entire time.

THE GOOD: Jordan Zimmermann. Villone, MacDougal and Beinel all pitched scoreless innings as well.

THE BAD: The hitters. Where were the bats? Johnson came into this game with an ERA over five and a half, and he gave up just two hits. The Nats could only scratch two more against three relievers in the first, and got only five hits against Cain in the second.

THE UGLY: Joel Hanrahan. With the Nats training 2-1 in the eighth, Hanrahan faced four batters and could not retire anyone. Four hits, three runs--No Outs. Game Over.

NEXT GAME: Three-game weekend series with the New York Mets. Tomorrow, Shairon Martis (5-1, 5.62) hosts former-Nat Tim Redding (0-2, 9.20) at 7:05 pm.

Photos 2009 © Cheryl Nichols and David Nichols. All Rights Reserved.