Johnson’s Heat Foils Chicago

Randy Johnson will always get his strikeouts. And when he’s pitching against the Chicago White Sox, he’ll more than likely get a victory, as well.

“It doesn’t matter to me who I’m pitching against,” Johnson said Tuesday night after striking out 10 and allowing five hits in seven innings as the Seattle Mariners beat the White Sox 9-5.

Johnson (7-1) is now 10-2 lifetime against the Sox and 6-0 in six starts in Chicago, where he’s given up only 14 earned runs in 47 innings.

“That’s a tough lineup to throw to. Later in the game I got tired and started messing around with some pitches and I couldn’t put away the hitters like I wanted to,” said Johnson, who threw 126 pitches.

Johnson, who gave up a first-inning homer to Frank Thomas, walked three and pitched out of a predicament in the seventh.

Ron Karkovice’s sinking liner was dropped by right fielder Gary Thurman and ruled a hit, and Norberto Martin followed with a single.

One out later, Tim Raines hit a liner off Felix Fermin’s glove at second and was thrown out, with Karkovice scoring to cut Seattle’s lead to 5-3.

Then it was power against power again with Johnson facing Thomas. This time Johnson struck him out to end the inning, marking the 56th time in his career the left-hander has had at least 10 strikeouts in a game.

“I had (Jeff) Nelson ready, but Randy wanted to finish the inning,” Mariners manager Lou Piniella said. “It’s a great confrontation for the fans. Why cheat them?”

Johnson settled down after giving up the homer to Thomas.

“After they tied the game in the first, I got it going, which I should have been doing all along. I felt pretty good,” Johnson said.

After Johnson fanned Thomas to get out of the seventh, Seattle added four runs in the eighth, two off Wilson Alvarez (1-4), who failed for the eighth straight time to win his second game.

Tino Martinez had an RBI single, Gary Thurman hit a sacrifice fly, Rich Amaral had an RBI fielder’s choice and Edgar Martinez an RBI single in the eighth. Chicago scored twice in the ninth on RBI singles by Lance Johnson and Thomas.