Game 53: June 4, 1999 (L: 11-3)
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Commentary (by me)

What can we really say about this one? Two streaks came to an end, our 9 game winning streak, and Pudge's 20 game hitting streak. Both because of the same thing. Randy Johnson.

Boy, did the Big Unit look on top of his game. It was scary how good he lookd early. He was throwing a perfect game into the fifth, when he walked a batter. Juan Gonzalez broke up the no hitter next inning with a sharply hit ball (that was the first well hit ball of the whole night, actually) past the second baseman for a single. The only real offense we had was a home run by Royce Clayton (into the swimming pool in right) scoring Roberto Kelly who was on second after a single and a Johnson wild pitch, and a Juan Gonzalez solo homer off of a reliever in the 9th. That was it.

Mark Clark gave up four home runs for a total of 8 runs in the first couple of innings. John Burkett may have found his niche now in long relief. Since going there, he looks good. He pitches 3, 4 innings, and then starts to break down. This might be a good spot for him. I know everyone wants to crucify him, but I think he doesn't look all that bad in the pen.

Danny Kolb made his major league debut (wearing #52), and seemed really nervous. He pitched 2/3 of an inning on a walk, a bobble by Zeile, and a single. That loaded the bases, and then there was an infield grounder to score a run, and then he reloaded the bases with a walk. That was about it for Kolb. Kolb sounds like a good kid from Jamey Newburg's reports, I'm sure he'll do better before - this seemed like stage fright.

Johnny Oates threw an all righty lineup against him, made for some strange positionings. Jon Shave played first, and Mark McLemore played Left field, with Roberto Kelly in center. Tom Goodwin did come in as a pinch hitter for John Burkett, but hardly a lefty all night. No Raffy, No Rusty, and no Lee Stevens. Was an interesting lineup for sure (see the game log below for the full starting lineups).

Commentary (by Jim Meeks)

Not available.

Game Recap

PHOENIX (TICKER) -- The longest winning streak in the majors this season ran into Randy Johnson's fastball. And lost.

Johnson carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks got home runs from Andy Fox, Jay Bell, Steve Finley and Travis Lee in an 11-3 rout of the Texas Rangers, halting their nine-game winning streak.

Johnson (7-2) struck out 11 and gave up two runs -- a two-run homer to Royce Clayton in the eighth -- and three hits with a walk in eight innings. He threw 76 of his 109 pitches for strikes before giving way to Amaury Telemaco, who allowed a solo homer to Juan Gonzalez in the ninth.

"It's probably the most focused I have been," Johnson said. "But I still made some bad pitches and they got hit. I try not to get wrapped up in a no-hitter. I was just trying to avoid the big inning. When Juan Gonzalez got the hit, you expect a good hitter like that to be the one to break up something like that."

Gonzalez singled sharply past Bell at second base with two outs in the seventh to end Johnson's bid for a no-hitter. Johnson retired the first 14 batters of the game before walking Roberto Kelly in the fifth and then got six straight before giving up the hit.

It was his 110th career game with 10 or more strikeouts and his eighth this season. He is first in the National League with 129 strikeouts, four less than Boston's Pedro Martinez for the major league lead.

"He was carrying electric stuff out there tonight," said Arizona manager Buck Showalter, who earned his 400th career win. "He pitched seven innings as good as I have seen anyone pitch. He was carrying that type of stuff that a no-hitter was possible."

With the 6-10 lefthander starting, Texas manager Johnny Oates kept lefthanded hitters Rafael Palmeiro, Rusty Greer and Lee Stevens -- all lineup regulars hitting .295 or better -- on the bench. Johnson, who is 14-5 in his career against Texas, was overpowering enough to halt the 20-game hitting streak of Ivan Rodriguez, who bats from the right side.

"We had games with him where he sustained it for all nine innings," Oates said. "He's thrown shutouts against us and he's beaten us 14 times now. He threw the ball very well tonight. He had his good, consistent fastball. He was still throwing 97, 98 at the end. He had a good breaking ball, but the thing that stands out was his command.

"You don't fear a no-hitter, but you start thinking about it. You start thinking about it when he's got stuff like that. The first time I started thinking about it was seven days ago, when I heard he was going to pitch against us."

The Rangers' streak was their longest since a 14-game run in May 1992 and Rodriguez's hitting streak was the best in the Amercian League this season.

"You have to give the pitcher credit. That's why the streak ended. He pitched a great game," Rodriguez said. "He always has a good fastball."

The Diamondbacks are 9-2 in their last 11 games and have scored 26 times in their last two contests, pounding out 32 hits. Finley is 11-for-14 with three homers, three doubles, two triples and 13 RBI in the last three games.

The Diamondbacks feasted on Mark Clark (3-4) for eight runs and five hits -- four homers -- in 2 1/3 innings.

Finley walked with one out in the second and moved up via an error by Clark on a botched pickoff attempt. Travis Lee walked and, one out later, Fox cracked a three-run homer, his second of the season, to open the scoring.

"I know Randy's hitting behind me, so I have to be aggressive and cannot let too many pitches get by," Fox explained. "He just happened to leave a changeup over the plate and I hit it pretty good."

"Andy Fox got us on the board, got us moving," Showalter said. "Before the game, we really stressed trying to get some duckets early, especially with Randy out there."

Tony Womack walked in front of Bell's 16th homer to start the third. Luis Gonzalez singled to extend his hitting streak to 13 games and Finley launched his 14th homer one out later to make it 7-0. Lee followed with his sixth homer to chase Clark for John Burkett.

"We're swinging the bats good," Finley said. "We picked right up where we left off on Wednesday. It's one of those things, you don't worry about it, you just go out there and keep swinging. I'm not swinging any different than I did last season, just that the hits have been falling in."

Johnson appreciated the support.

"It's comfortable to know that if you make a mistake, you're still in the ballgame," he said.

Danny Kolb, in his major league debut, relieved Burkett to start the sixth and walked Fox. Johnson reached when third baseman Todd Zeile bobbled a bouncer and Womack singled to load the bases. Bell plated the ninth run with a groundout and Luis Gonzalez was hit by a pitch to reload the bases.

After Matt Williams fouled out, Mike Venafro relieved and walked Finley on four pitches to force in the 10th run.

In the seventh, Fox reached when second baseman Luis Alicea threw away his grounder, went to third on a single by Johnson and scored on a groundout by Womack to make it 11-0.

Photos
(Click on any of them for a larger image

The Big Unit	The Big Unit	Mark Clark after giving up one of about 10 million home runs	Steve Finley(R) gets congrats after homering	Pudge grimaces after a called third strike.  Either that or he's grabbing himself too hard!

Box Score

Line Score
ML  FINAL
                    1  2  3   4  5  6   7  8  9     R  H  E
                    -  -  -   -  -  -   -  -  -     -  -  -
TEXAS               0  0  0   0  0  0   0  2  1     3  4  3
ARIZONA             0  3  5   0  0  2   1  0  x    11 12  0   (FINAL)

BATTERIES:  TEX - MARK CLARK, JOHN BURKETT (3RD), DANNY KOLB
                  (6TH), MIKE VENAFRO (6TH), DANNY PATTERSON
                  (8TH) AND IVAN RODRIGUEZ
            ARI - RANDY JOHNSON, AMAURY TELEMACO (9TH) AND
                  DAMIAN MILLER

             WP - RANDY JOHNSON (7-2)
             LP - MARK CLARK (3-4)
           SAVE - NONE

HOME RUNS:  TEX - ROYCE CLAYTON (1) OFF R JOHNSON IN THE 8TH, 1 ON
                  JUAN GONZALEZ (14) OFF TELEMACO IN THE 9TH, 0 ON
            ARI - ANDY FOX (2) OFF M CLARK IN THE 2ND, 2 ON
                  JAY BELL (16) OFF M CLARK IN THE 3RD, 1 ON
                  STEVE FINLEY (14) OFF M CLARK IN THE 3RD, 1 ON
                  TRAVIS LEE (6) OFF M CLARK IN THE 3RD, 0 ON

     TIME:  2:36     ATT:  41,029

PROBABLES:  TEX - RYAN GLYNN (0-0, 5.93)
            ARI - ARMANDO REYNOSO (3-1, 4.41)



Box Score
TEXAS (3) AT ARIZONA (11) - FINAL

TEXAS                  ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Alicea 2b               4  0  0  0   0  1   0  .141
Mclemore lf             4  0  0  0   0  2   0  .306
I Rodriguez c           4  0  0  0   0  1   0  .317
J Gonzalez rf           4  1  2  1   0  0   0  .317
Zeile 3b                4  0  0  0   0  1   1  .259
R Kelly cf              2  1  1  0   1  1   0  .349
Clayton ss              3  1  1  2   0  2   1  .220
Shave 1b                3  0  0  0   0  2   0  .261
M Clark p               1  0  0  0   0  1   0  .000
 Burkett p              0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 a-T Goodwin ph         1  0  0  0   0  0   0  .235
 Kolb p                 0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 Venafro p              0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000
 b-Zaun ph              1  0  0  0   0  0   0  .226
 D Patterson p          0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000

Totals                 31  3  4  3   1 11   2

a-grounded to shortstop for Burkett in the 6th; b-popped to first
for Venafro in the 8th.

BATTING: HR - Clayton (1, 8th inning off R Johnson 1 on, 0 out);
J Gonzalez (14, 9th inning off Telemaco 0 on, 2 out). RBI -
Clayton 2 (7), J Gonzalez (48). 2-out RBI - J Gonzalez.
Team LOB - 2.

FIELDING: E - M Clark (1, throw); Zeile (7, ground ball); Alicea
(3, throw). DP: 2 (Zeile-Shave, Alicea-Clayton-Shave).

ARIZONA                ab  r  h rbi bb so lob   avg
Womack rf               4  1  1  1   1  0   0  .272
J Bell 2b               5  1  1  3   0  0   1  .300
L Gonzalez lf           4  1  2  0   0  1   0  .398
Ma Williams 3b          5  0  1  0   0  1   4  .324
S Finley cf             3  2  3  3   2  0   0  .294
T Lee 1b                3  2  2  1   2  0   3  .245
D Miller c              5  0  0  0   0  2   7  .300
A Fox ss                3  3  1  3   1  0   0  .320
R Johnson p             4  1  1  0   0  0   1  .163
 Telemaco p             0  0  0  0   0  0   0  .000

Totals                 36 11 12 11   6  4  16

BATTING: HR - A Fox (2, 2nd inning off M Clark 2 on, 2 out);
J Bell (16, 3rd inning off M Clark 1 on, 0 out); S Finley
(14, 3rd inning off M Clark 1 on, 1 out); T Lee (6, 3rd inning
off M Clark 0 on, 1 out). RBI - A Fox 3 (14), J Bell 3 (38),
S Finley 3 (49), T Lee (30), Womack (9). 2-out RBI - A Fox 3,
S Finley. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out - T Lee 2,
J Bell 1, D Miller 1. GIDP - D Miller, Ma Williams. Team LOB - 8.

TEXAS                        ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
M Clark (L, 3-4)              2 1/3   5   8   8   3   2   4   7.55
Burkett                       2 2/3   2   0   0   1   2   0   9.60
Kolb                            2/3   1   2   1   1   0   0  13.50
Venafro                       1 1/3   1   1   0   1   0   0   2.38
D Patterson                   1       3   0   0   0   0   0   5.85

ARIZONA                      ip       h   r  er  bb  so  hr    era
R Johnson (W, 7-2)            8       3   2   2   1  11   1   2.83
Telemaco                      1       1   1   1   0   0   1   7.50

WP - R Johnson. HBP - L Gonzalez (by Kolb).  Pitches-strikes:
R Johnson 109-76; Telemaco 11-8; M Clark 57-31; Burkett 34-20;
Kolb 22-11; Venafro 21-12; D Patterson 16-10.  Ground balls-
fly balls: R Johnson 4-9; Telemaco 2-1; M Clark 2-3; Burkett 4-2;
Kolb 1-1; Venafro 3-1; D Patterson 3-0.  Batters faced: R Johnson 28;
Telemaco 4; M Clark 15; Burkett 10; Kolb 6; Venafro 7; D Patterson 5.

UMPIRES: HP--Tom Hallion. 1B--Bill Hohn. 2B--Paul Schrieber.
3B--Ed Montague.
T--2:36.  Att--41,029.   Weather: 75 degrees, clear.   Wind: 5 mph,
left to right.

ML       TEXAS AT ARIZONA
         NOTE:  ARIZONA'S LUIS GONZALEZ EXTENDED HIS HITTING STREAK TO 13
                GAMES WITH A SINGLE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE THIRD INNING.

ML       TEXAS AT ARIZONA
         NOTE:  THE HOME RUNS BY ARIZONA'S STEVE FINLEY AND TRAVIS LEE IN
                THE BOTTOM OF THE THIRD INNING WERE BACK-TO-BACK.

ML       TEXAS AT ARIZONA
         NOTE:  ARIZONA'S RANDY JOHNSON STRUCK OUT ROYCE CLAYTON TO MOVE
                INTO 24TH PLACE ON THE ALL-TIME STRIKEOUT LIST WITH
                2,454, PASSING SAM MCDOWELL.

ML       TEXAS AT ARIZONA
         NOTE:  ARIZONA'S RANDY JOHNSON HAS A NO-HITTER THROUGH SIX
                INNINGS, INCLUDING EIGHT STRIKEOUTS.

ML       TEXAS AT ARIZONA
         NOTE:  TEXAS' JUAN GONZALEZ SINGLED WITH TWO OUT IN THE TOP OF
                THE SEVENTH INNING TO BREAK UP RANDY JOHNSON'S NO-HITTER.

Game Log

Texas Starting Lineups -- Luis Alicea 2B, Mark Mclemore LF, Ivan Rodriguez C, Juan Gonzalez RF, Todd Zeile 3B, Roberto Kelly CF, Royce Clayton SS, Jon Shave 1B, Mark Clark RHP.

Arizona Starting Lineups -- Tony Womack RF, Jay Bell 2B, Luis Gonzalez LF, Matt Williams 3B, Steve Finley CF, Travis Lee 1B, Damian Miller C, Andy Fox SS, Randy Johnson LHP.

Umpires -- Hallion (HP), Hohn (1B), Schrieber (2B), Montague (3B).

Gametime Weather: 75 degrees, Clear, wind left to right at 5 mph.

TEXAS 1ST: Alicea popped out to second. Mclemore flied out to center. I Rodriguez struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 0.

ARIZONA 1ST: Womack flied out to left. J Bell flied out to center. L Gonzalez lined out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 0.

TEXAS 2ND: J Gonzalez popped out to shallow right. Zeile struck out swinging. R Kelly struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 0.

ARIZONA 2ND: Ma Williams struck out looking. S Finley walked. S Finley to second on pitcher M Clark's throwing error. T Lee walked. D Miller struck out swinging. A Fox homered to right center, S Finley and T Lee scored. R Johnson grounded out to third. (3 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 3.

TEXAS 3RD: Clayton struck out swinging. Shave flied out to right. M Clark struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 3.

ARIZONA 3RD: Womack walked. J Bell homered to left, Womack scored. L Gonzalez singled to center. Ma Williams grounded out to third, L Gonzalez to second. S Finley homered to right, L Gonzalez scored. T Lee homered to center. John Burkett relieved Mark Clark. D Miller struck out swinging. A Fox flied out to left center. (5 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 8.

TEXAS 4TH: Alicea fouled out to right. Mclemore struck out looking. I Rodriguez lined out to second. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 8.

ARIZONA 4TH: R Johnson grounded out to third. Womack grounded out to second. J Bell fouled out to left. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 8.

TEXAS 5TH: J Gonzalez popped out to shallow right. Zeile grounded out to second. R Kelly walked. Clayton struck out looking. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 8.

ARIZONA 5TH: L Gonzalez struck out swinging. Ma Williams singled to left. S Finley singled to center, Ma Williams to second. T Lee walked, Ma Williams to third, S Finley to second. D Miller grounded into double play, third to first, S Finley out at third. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 8.

TEXAS 6TH: Shave struck out looking. T Goodwin hit for Burkett. T Goodwin grounded out to shortstop. Alicea grounded out to shortstop. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 8.

ARIZONA 6TH: Danny Kolb relieved John Burkett. A Fox walked. R Johnson safe at first on 3rd baseman Zeile's fielding error, A Fox to second. Womack singled to right, A Fox to third, R Johnson to second. J Bell grounded out to pitcher, A Fox scored, R Johnson to third, Womack to second. L Gonzalez hit by pitch. Ma Williams fouled out to first. Mike Venafro relieved Danny Kolb. S Finley walked, R Johnson scored, Womack to third, L Gonzalez to second. T Lee grounded out to second. (2 Runs, 1 Hit, 1 Error) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 10.

TEXAS 7TH: Mclemore struck out swinging. I Rodriguez grounded out to third. J Gonzalez singled to right. Zeile flied out to shallow right. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 10.

ARIZONA 7TH: D Miller grounded out to third. A Fox safe at second on 2nd baseman Alicea's throwing error. R Johnson singled to center, A Fox to third. Womack grounded out to first, A Fox scored, R Johnson to second. J Bell flied out to center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 1 Error) TEXAS 0, ARIZONA 11.

TEXAS 8TH: R Kelly singled to center. R Kelly to second on R Johnson wild pitch. Clayton homered to right center, R Kelly scored. Shave struck out swinging. Zaun hit for Venafro. Zaun popped out to first. Alicea struck out looking. (2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, ARIZONA 11.

ARIZONA 8TH: Danny Patterson relieved Mike Venafro. L Gonzalez singled to left. Ma Williams grounded into double play, second to shortstop to first, L Gonzalez out at second. S Finley reached on infield single. T Lee singled to right, S Finley to second. D Miller grounded into fielder's choice to third, S Finley out at third. (0 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors) TEXAS 2, ARIZONA 11.

TEXAS 9TH: Amaury Telemaco relieved Randy Johnson. Mclemore grounded out to second. I Rodriguez grounded out to shortstop. J Gonzalez homered to left. Zeile flied out to center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TEXAS 3, ARIZONA 11.