Johnson homers, but settles for no-decision

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The Big Unit got the big hit he had been

seeking for 15 seasons.

Randy Johnson hit his first major league home run, and Steve

Finley's solo shot broke a ninth-inning tie as the Arizona

Diamondbacks defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 Friday night.

Matt Kata also homered for the Diamondbacks, but it was

Johnson's surprise shot that was the hit of the night.

"Get up, get up," Johnson said he thought to himself after he

smacked his shot in the third inning off starter Doug Davis. "I

knew I hit it pretty good. I just wasn't sure if it was high

enough."

The five-time Cy Young winner, who began this season as a .124

lifetime hitter, had gone 436 at-bats without a homer. He was able

to watch his ball sail 385 feet over the left-field fence to give

his club a 1-0 lead.

Davis, behind in the count, said he had no choice but to throw a

strike to Johnson.

"I laid one over for him and he knew it and he took a good hack

at it. I think it surprised a lot of people, including himself. Tip

your hat, he got me," Davis said.

Finley admitted he enjoyed Johnson's homer more than his own.

"Everybody was excited. We were waiting for this day. We

finally got him to crack a smile for a few minutes after he got

back to the dugout," Finley said.

Johnson, who beat the Brewers 14 consecutive games until an 11-7

loss April 11, gave up two runs on 10 hits in six innings. He

struck out 10, his 191st game with double-digit strikeouts.

Even though he did not get the win, Johnson acknowledged he had

a lot of fun because of his big hit.

"Today with the home run putting us on the board, it was pretty

satisfying," he said.

Kata tied the score 2-2 with his seventh homer in the seventh

inning. Finley's 21st homer of the season came off reliever Shane

Nance (0-2) with one out in the ninth.

The winning pitcher was Oscar Villareal (9-7), who relieved

Johnson in the seventh and pitched two hitless innings with three

strikeouts.

Matt Mantei worked the ninth for his 26th save in 29 chances.

The Brewers also scored on a home run -- Eddie Perez hit his 11th

in the seventh inning for a 2-1 lead.

Milwaukee's first run came in the fifth when Richie Sexson

singled to left, scoring Keith Ginter from third.

Brewers manager Ned Yost was impressed with Johnson's ability to

get out of jams.

"Randy Johnson is a tough pitcher. When he gets in trouble he's

doubly tough. He's got two speeds -- octane and super octane. When

he gets in trouble he gears it up and just bores in on you," Yost

said.

Davis allowed two runs on eight hits in 6 1-3 innings.Game notes
The Diamondbacks, who didn't get to their hotel rooms until

5:30 a.m. Friday after playing a night game in Los Angeles, skipped

batting and fielding practice. ... It was the first time the clubs

met since April 11-13, when Milwaukee won two of three games in

Arizona. ... The Brewers activated pitcher Ruben Quevedo, who had

been on the disabled list since June 27 with right shoulder

tendinitis.