Williams toughs out victory over D-Backs

By Andrew Baggarly
Special to The Advertiser

For the second time in his career, San Francisco's Jerome Williams beat Arizona's Randy Johnson. Williams gave up three runs on three hits in six innings as the Giants defeated the Diamondbacks, 8-4. Associated Press

Pitching against Randy Johnson for the second time in his career, Williams fought through command issues long enough to emerge with the win in the Giants' 8-4 victory over Arizona last night.

Johnson, who is at the center of trade rumors, had a turbulent night that included an argument over the strike zone with plate umpire Paul Emmel and an altercation with teammate Luis Gonzalez in the Arizona dugout. Half the team rushed down the dugout steps, presumably to break up the two players.

Johnson was upset because Gonzalez muffed a deep fly ball in the fifth inning that led to three runs and broke open a tie game.

Williams didn't see the altercation, just the highlights on ESPN on a clubhouse TV. He pitched six innings, allowed three runs on three singles, walked five and hit Shea Hillenbrand twice.

"I was nervous when I faced (Johnson) last year,'' said Williams who outdueled the Big Unit in a 2-1 victory at Phoenix on Aug. 30.

Asked if beating Johnson ranked as a high point in his young career, Williams nodded.

"It's the second time so it's probably at the top,'' said the Waipahu High alum from Hawai'i. "It's definitely exciting.''

Williams helped start the winning rally in the fifth inning when he drew a leadoff walk from Johnson. He earned it too, fouling off a full-count pitch before taking ball four.

"It was a fastball in,'' Williams said. "I thought for sure I'd miss that. I thought he would throw a slider and I sort of jumped at it.''

Williams was jumpy all night. He worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and nearly came unglued in the third, when Barry Bonds made a shoestring catch of Quinton McCracken's line drive with two out and two aboard.

"Many times he was one pitch, one batter from being removed,'' Giants manager Felipe Alou said. "He was all over the place. I was concerned at the beginning of the game because it looked too much like the last game. We took him out on a high. That's good for his confidence.''

Said Williams: "In the fourth inning I saw someone warming up and I didn't want to come out. I tried not to let it bother me.''

Williams had plenty of tail on his fastball and said he had difficulty throwing it for strikes. Both times he hit Hillenbrand, it was on fastballs that ran inside.

"He was too pumped up in the first inning, like he was overthrowing everything,'' Giants catcher Yorvit Torrealba said. "The next inning it was like he tried to be too fine. But he got better as he went along and he made good pitches with runners on base.''

It was Williams' second start since returning from mild shoulder tendinitis and his last start before the All-Star break.

The Giants, who had lost five of their previous six games, moved into a second-place tie with the San Diego Padres in the NL West, a half-game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Often one to avoid contact with reporters, Bonds talked with the media to clear the air before game.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Bonds had decided to participate in Monday's All-Star Game Home Run Derby only after Major League Baseball agreed to compensate him for it.

"There's no statements (about money)," said Bonds. "(The article) was flat out wrong."

Bonds said he was holding out on his decision until he was assured the other three active members of the 500-homer club—Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr., Baltimore's Rafael Palmeiro and the Chicago Cubs' Sammy Sosa—had committed to the contest.