Late Orioles game: Last nights game between the Orioles and Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix ended too late to be included in this edition. A complete report can be found in later editions or on the Internet at http://www.sunspot.net.
PHOENIX - If Jason Johnson's start in Cleveland one week ago today looked like a major step forward for the Orioles, Tuesday night's performance in a 6-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks was another step back.
After holding the Indians to one run on three hits over eight innings, Johnson gave up four runs in four innings against the Diamondbacks. And it could have been much worse.
Orioles right fielder Gary Matthews robbed Luis Gonzalez of a three-run homer, keeping Arizona's lead at 4-1 after the fourth inning. Gonzalez hit the ball toward the swimming pool beyond the right-center-field fence, but Matthews raced back, jumped and caught it.
When it was Johnsons turn to bat in the fifth, Orioles manager Mike Hargrove pulled him for a pinch hitter.
"Jason obviously didn't have his best stuff tonight," Hargrove said. "By the time he reached the fourth inning, it was obvious that it wasnt going to get any better. So we decided to make the move."
Johnson (1-5) allowed eight hits and two walks, and he wasn't pleased to leave after throwing just 81 pitches. This was his third start since he came off the disabled list, having missed six weeks with a chip fracture in his right middle finger.
In the first start after coming back, Johnson threw 88 pitches and allowed three earned runs in six innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Against Cleveland, he threw 101 pitches and took a no-decision as the Orioles eventually lost 2-1 in 10 innings.
But with the Orioles playing one of their nine games this season in a National League park, Johnson found himself out of the game after Matthews made the big catch.
"Its frustrating because four innings isnt enough for me," Johnson said. "For me to get the strength back in my arm, I feel like I have to throw. Its not my decision."
In Cleveland, Johnson introduced a harder, tighter curveball that led to a season-high seven strikeouts. He throws the pitch with a knuckle-curve grip, similar to the one former Oriole Mike Mussina uses.
But Johnson said he used the hard curve only about seven or eight times against the Diamondbacks, significantly less than he did against the Indians.
"I've always got the confidence in it, Johnson said. It just didnt feel good coming out of my hand today. I don't know why."
The loss was especially painful for the Orioles because they knew they would have to face Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson the next two nights.
Brian Anderson (2-6) held the Orioles to three runs in 6 1/3 innings, winning his first start since July 22. He had gone 17 starts without a victory, going 0-8 with nine no-decisions in that span. The Orioles had nine hits against Anderson, but they had trouble piecing together a rally until the seventh.
Geronimo Gil led off the inning with his eighth home run, trimming Arizona's lead to 4-2. With one out, pinch hitter Jose Leon delivered his first major-league hit, and after giving Anderson a pat on the back at the mound, Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly turned to his bullpen.
Matthews, who had a run-scoring double in the first inning, made it 4-3 with a run-scoring single off Diamondbacks reliever Duaner Sanchez. But Arizona got out of the inning when third baseman Craig Counsell made a tough backhanded stop on a smash by Tony Batista, throwing to second for the force out.
Erubiel Durazo padded the Diamondbacks lead with a two-run homer off Orioles reliever B.J. Ryan in the seventh.
Mike Koplove pitched Arizona through the eighth inning, and Byung-Hyun Kim pitched the ninth for his 19th save.
"It's always tough when you've got to face guys like Schilling and Johnson back-to-back," Jason Johnson said. They're two dominant pitchers. Hopefully our hitters will go out there and hit the way that we can."