The first sign was bare arms. On a chilly 57-degree night, Randy Johnson walked to the mound without long sleeves. At 43 years old, he still brings the heat. Who needs a thermal undershirt?
Johnson put on a stone-cold clinic for six innings, allowing only a bunt single, as the Arizona Diamondbacks trumped the Rockies 3-0 at Coors Field.
This wasn’t your father or brother’s Randy Johnson, circa 2001. That Johnson was a snarling menace with a mullet. He struck fear in opponents with a 98-mph fastball and a glare that could give Hannibal Lecter goosebumps. This version is a little more refined, more Mozart than Hendrix. But no less effective.
Johnson toyed with the Rockies, striking out nine on 79 pitches. Everything was about 5 miles per hour slower than Johnson in his prime. But a little less throttle . 94 mph fastball, 83 slider . improved his location. His night was a series of whiffs and weak check swings. Only a slight limp, possibly from his balky knee, was offered as speculation on why Johnson exited early.
Jason Hirsh wore the burden of hard-luck loser. He worked eight innings, yielding all three runs. A pair of mistakes spoiled arguably one of the best outings of his career. Connor Jackson broke his home run drought, driving a 77-mph changeup into the left-field seats for a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning. Eric Byrnes followed with a solo shot, his third against the Rockies, in the seventh inning.
Johnson won for the first time this season, improving to 15-7 with a 2.27 career ERA against the Rockies.
Staff writer Troy Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
