Giants, errors spoil Big Unit's return
Sports // San Francisco Giants
John Shea, Chronicle Staff Writer
1of11Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Randy Johnson pitches in the first inning. The San Francisco Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks in a MLB game at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on April 14, 2008. Photo by Michael Maloney / San Francisco ChronicleMichael MaloneyShow MoreShow Less
2of11San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Jonathan Sanchez pitches in the first inning. The San Francisco Giants host te Arizona Diamondbacks in a MLB game at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on April 14, 2008. Photo by Michael Maloney / San Francisco ChronicleMichael MaloneyShow MoreShow Less
4of11San Francisco Giants Aaron Rowand connects with an RBI double in the second inning. The San Francisco Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks in a MLB game at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on April 14, 2008. Photo by Michael Maloney / San Francisco ChronicleMichael MaloneyShow MoreShow Less
5of11Arizona Diamondbacks Conor Jackson is safe at home in the third inning on RBI single by Arizona Diamondbacks Justin Upton. San Francisco Giants catcher Bengie Molina waits for the throw. The San Francisco Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks in a MLB game at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on April 14, 2008. Photo by Michael Maloney / San Francisco ChronicleMichael MaloneyShow MoreShow Less
7of11San Francisco Giants Bengie Molina connects with a RBI sacrifice fly in the seventh inning to put the Giants ahead 5-4. The San Francisco Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks in a MLB game at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on April 14, 2008. Photo by Michael Maloney / San Francisco ChronicleMichael MaloneyShow MoreShow Less
8of11San Francisco Giants Jose Castillo (left) congratulates San Francisco Giants Bengie Molina after Molina's RBI sacrifice fly in the 7th inning to put the Giants ahead 5-4. The San Francisco Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks in a MLB game at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on April 14, 2008. Photo by Michael Maloney / San Francisco ChronicleMichael MaloneyShow MoreShow Less
10of11San Francisco Giants Rich Aurelia (left) and catcher Bengie Molina celebrate the win. The San Francisco Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks in a MLB game at AT&T Park in San Francisco, Calif., on April 14, 2008. The Giants won 5-4. Photo by Michael Maloney / San Francisco ChronicleMichael MaloneyShow MoreShow Less
Randy Johnson didn't arrive with a 98 mph fastball. His velocity was down, and his location was off. It wasn't unexpected for a 44-year-old who was coming off a second back surgery and hadn't pitched a big-league game in 10 months.
Put aside the 284 wins, 4,616 strikeouts and five Cy Young Awards, and this was merely another 6-foot-10 lefty throwing in the high 80s and low 90s. In other words, though he might have been more hittable than in the past, he still was the Biggest and Baddest Unit in China Basin.
Johnson added seven strikeouts to his career total and did not allow an earned run in five innings, but the Diamondbacks' defenders had their fingerprints all over Monday night's 5-4 Giants victory, their fifth in seven games.
The Giants scored three unearned runs off Johnson in the second inning and two more off reliever Chad Qualls in the seventh. Third baseman Mark Reynolds and shortstop Stephen Drew made the costly errors, though Eugenio Velez forced the issue during the winning rally.
After Velez opened with an infield single, Randy Winn grounded to Drew, who was well aware of Velez's speed and tried to hurry the play, only to have the ball go through his legs and Velez go first to third. Before the inning was over, Ray Durham's bases-loaded fielder's choice and Bengie Molina's sacrifice fly turned a 4-3 deficit into a one-run lead.
"He runs like a gazelle," Aaron Rowand said of Velez. "He puts pressure on the pitcher and catcher. Going first to third like he did, he ran right in their face. That changes the inning right there."
Keiichi Yabu, with two scoreless relief innings, became the first Japanese-born pitcher to win a game for the Giants since Masanori Murakami in 1965. Also, it was Yabu's first big-league victory since May 20, 2005 - that one came in the same park, an 8-4 A's victory over Kirk Rueter and the Giants.
"Mr. Murakami is one of my friends," said Yabu, who recalled Murakami asking him in 2005 to get Barry Zito to sign a ball for him. "I'm glad I could win and be able to get to the same status as Mr. Murakami."
Tyler Walker threw a perfect eighth, and Brian Wilson worked the ninth for his fourth save.
Starter Jonathan Sanchez, coming off six scoreless innings during which he struck out 10 batters, surrendered two runs in both the first and third innings. Conor Jackson engaged in both rallies (a two-run homer and an RBI single), giving him six hits in seven career at-bats against the lefty.
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Rowand misplayed Jackson's single in center, enabling him to reach second, and Jackson scored on Justin Upton's single. Rowand was hobbling, bothered by groin and rib soreness, and twice got up slowly after uneasy slides at second base.
Manager Bruce Bochy said he wants to rest Rowand today, but Rowand said he wants to keep playing. "I'm not playing for just myself, but 24 other guys in here," he said. "I'm a piece off the puzzle, and I want to be out there with my teammates."
The Giants failed to get to Johnson during his wild first inning when he threw 18 pitches but only seven strikes. He walked two of his first three batters, both on four pitches. He didn't throw a fastball for a strike until his 16th pitch, when Rich Aurilia swung and missed. Two pitches later, Aurilia struck out on a 93 mph fastball, the hardest pitch Johnson threw all night.
The Giants had more luck in the second inning, which began when Jose Castillo reached on Reynolds' error. With two outs, Winn hit a broken-bat blooper to short left that popped out of Drew's glove for a two-run single. Winn stole second (his second steal of the night) and scored when Rowand hit grounded a double past Reynolds.
John Shea
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John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle's national baseball writer and columnist. He has been covering baseball for four decades, including 33 years in the Bay Area. He wrote four baseball books, including the New York Times bestseller with Willie Mays "24: Life Stories and Lessons from the Say Hey Kid" and Rickey Henderson's autobiography ("Off Base: Confessions of a Thief").