Top > Sport > 2005 > September > 2005-09-02

Randy Johnson not out yet

When it comes to passing the torch, clearly Randy Johnson is going to require somebody prying his fingers off the baseball baton. If Felix Hernandez indeed is "The Future", the present remains firmly in the hands of the Big Unit as evidenced by Johnson`s seven shutout innings Wednesday en route to a 2-0 victory by his New York Yankees over the last-place Mariners.

A sellout crowd of 46,240 at Safeco Field got the anticipated pitching duel, with Seattle`s 19-year-old rookie holding the powerhouse Yankee lineup to four hits and a pair of runs over eight intense innings. In the end, the youngster earned the Yankees` respect, if not the victory. New York skipper Joe Torre was impressed with how Hernandez conducted himself, noting he gave up the towering home run to Sheffield on a fastball, but then came right back with the same pitch to induce the hard-swinging right fielder into a harmless ground out his next at-bat.

Torre brought up the names of Doc Gooden and Bob Gibson as comparisons at such a tender age. Yet for all the flame arising over Felix`s future, there was Johnson standing tall at the end, reminding everyone his 41-year-old arm has a little life left as well. The "Big Unit" had a no hitter going for five innings until Yuniesky Betancourt doubled off the left-field wall leading off the sixth. He finished with three hits and seven strikeouts in his seven innings and punched the air in pleasure after escaping his only real trouble of the game with two on and one out in his final frame.