M’S Brush Off Rockies Seattle Finishes Two-Game Sweep Of Colorado As Johnson Keeps Rolling

It was a silly question, a playful answer.

Standing beside the batting cage hours before the game, Ken Griffey Jr. was asked Friday about the Colorado Rockies, the man they were about to face - Randy Johnson - and for a prediction on the outcome.

“It ain’t gonna be 12-11,” Junior said. “Call it 4-1, we win. They might get a run off the Unit.”

Some six hours later, once Johnson and Seattle had beaten Colorado, 6-1, it became apparent Griffey had slightly underestimated the Mariners’ offense - but not the ‘Big Unit.’

Extending a stretch of games in which he has been unbeatable if not unhittable, Johnson dominated the National League’s best-hitting team. In eight innings he allowed the Rockies two hits, struck out 12 and ran his season record to 10-1.

“That’s probably the biggest and most potent lineup I’ve ever faced,” Johnson said.

From his seat on the Colorado bench, left-handed hitting Larry Walker - hitting .409 but held out of the Rockies lineup - saw precisely what he and 55,980 fans expected from Johnson.

“From the bench or looking at the box score, it’s the same,” Walker said. “He’s given up about five hits in his last three games. If his back holds up, he’s headed for Cooperstown.”

Backed by home runs from Russ Davis and Edgar Martinez and another marvelous game from lead-off hitter Joey Cora, Johnson was superb and had to be for much of the night he had no more than a one-run lead.

He pitched as if he wouldn’t get more. And when he did, his pitching didn’t change much. For the 75th time in his career, he struck out 10 or more batters and only three men in major league history have done that more often.

Each is in the Hall of Fame: Nolan Ryan, Sandy Koufax, Steve Carlton.

When Eric Young lined a home run just fair down the left field line in the third inning, it snapped the longest scoreless inning streak of Johnson’s career at 31 innings. Only Mark Langston’s streak of 34-1/3 innings in 1988 was longer in Mariners history.

Johnson set the tone early, striking out six batters his first turn through Colorado’s lineup. Next time through, he had three Ks. The third time through, three more.

“It’s not like we were missing bad pitches,” Andres Galarraga said. “He didn’t throw many bad pitches.”

The surprise for much of the game was that Rockies starter Jamey Wright, who came in with an 8.41 earned-run average, stuck close to Johnson.

Into the fifth inning, Wright was even at 1-1. Cora, who was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and three runs scored, drew a two-out base on balls and then scored when Jose Cruz Jr. doubled to right field. That put Seattle ahead, 2-1.

Martinez hit his eighth home run on the first pitch of the sixth inning, Davis hit his eighth on the first pitch of the seventh inning and Martinez capped it with a two-run double. Ahead 6-1 after eight innings, manager Lou Piniella felt secure enough to let Johnson sit down.