BadKarma
May-18th-2004, 11:25 PM
A perfect game for the Big Unit
Johnson strikes out 13 in second career no-hitter
By George Henry / Special to MLB.com
Randy Johnson tossed a perfect game against the Braves on Tuesday night. (John Bazemore/AP)
ATLANTA -- Randy Johnson's career is now as perfect as they come.
The 40-year-old left-hander turned back the clock Tuesday night, tossing the 17th Major League perfect game in a 2-0 Diamondbacks win over the Braves at Turner Field.
As Johnson approached the mound to begin the ninth inning, the crowd of 23,381 greeted him with a well-deserved standing ovation. Most of the fans at Turner Field were partisan to the Braves, but who could cheer against a five-time Cy Young Award winner on the cusp of his second career no-hitter?
No, the night belonged to Johnson, who became the oldest pitcher to throw a perfect game. Atlanta's Mark DeRosa began the ninth with a hard groundout to second baseman Matt Kata. Rookie Nick Green was no match, striking out on a 97 mph fastball that flew past him on a 1-2 count.
Eddie Perez, pinch-hitting for Braves starter Mike Hampton, was the final batter. He became the Big Unit's 13th strikeout victim and Johnson's teammates rushed the field in celebration.
Johnson's mastery took only 2 hours, 13 minutes and caused the fans to erupt with cheers of "Ran-dy! Ran-dy! Ran-dy!" Even though neither the scoreboard nor the public address system made any mention of Johnson's approaching history, the fans knew that he was on the verge of the first perfect game since David Cone's in 1999.
Johnson used 117 pitches, 87 of them strikes, to beat the Braves and end Arizona's five-game losing streak. Johnson threw the first no-hitter in Diamondbacks history and his second since June 20, 1990, when he played for Seattle and beat the Detroit Tigers 2-0.
He also became the first pitcher to throw a perfect game against Atlanta, which suffered its second shutout since Saturday.
Johnson, who joined Cy Young, Jim Bunning, Hideo Nomo and Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers to throw no-hitters in both the National and American Leagues, reminded everyone that he remains one of baseball's most frightening pitchers as only one Brave, catcher Johnny Estrada in the second inning, worked a count that included three balls.
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Too bad this couldn't have happened in Az.
:notworthy
After watching Randy throw mid 90's into the 9th and then drop the perfect game on the Braves at 40 yrs old, I heard Gammons say he was one of the top 5 lefty's all time. Most dominating pitcher I have ever seen but is he the best ever?
Johnson strikes out 13 in second career no-hitter
By George Henry / Special to MLB.com
Randy Johnson tossed a perfect game against the Braves on Tuesday night. (John Bazemore/AP)
ATLANTA -- Randy Johnson's career is now as perfect as they come.
The 40-year-old left-hander turned back the clock Tuesday night, tossing the 17th Major League perfect game in a 2-0 Diamondbacks win over the Braves at Turner Field.
As Johnson approached the mound to begin the ninth inning, the crowd of 23,381 greeted him with a well-deserved standing ovation. Most of the fans at Turner Field were partisan to the Braves, but who could cheer against a five-time Cy Young Award winner on the cusp of his second career no-hitter?
No, the night belonged to Johnson, who became the oldest pitcher to throw a perfect game. Atlanta's Mark DeRosa began the ninth with a hard groundout to second baseman Matt Kata. Rookie Nick Green was no match, striking out on a 97 mph fastball that flew past him on a 1-2 count.
Eddie Perez, pinch-hitting for Braves starter Mike Hampton, was the final batter. He became the Big Unit's 13th strikeout victim and Johnson's teammates rushed the field in celebration.
Johnson's mastery took only 2 hours, 13 minutes and caused the fans to erupt with cheers of "Ran-dy! Ran-dy! Ran-dy!" Even though neither the scoreboard nor the public address system made any mention of Johnson's approaching history, the fans knew that he was on the verge of the first perfect game since David Cone's in 1999.
Johnson used 117 pitches, 87 of them strikes, to beat the Braves and end Arizona's five-game losing streak. Johnson threw the first no-hitter in Diamondbacks history and his second since June 20, 1990, when he played for Seattle and beat the Detroit Tigers 2-0.
He also became the first pitcher to throw a perfect game against Atlanta, which suffered its second shutout since Saturday.
Johnson, who joined Cy Young, Jim Bunning, Hideo Nomo and Nolan Ryan as the only pitchers to throw no-hitters in both the National and American Leagues, reminded everyone that he remains one of baseball's most frightening pitchers as only one Brave, catcher Johnny Estrada in the second inning, worked a count that included three balls.
:logo: :logo:
Too bad this couldn't have happened in Az.
:notworthy
After watching Randy throw mid 90's into the 9th and then drop the perfect game on the Braves at 40 yrs old, I heard Gammons say he was one of the top 5 lefty's all time. Most dominating pitcher I have ever seen but is he the best ever?