Sun Jul 6 19:46:40 2008

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Big Unit snaps losing streak as Arizona avoids sweep by San Diego

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Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Randy Johnson snapped a six-start losing streak with 6 1/3 vintage innings, as the Arizona Diamondbacks hung on for a 3-2 win to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the San Diego Padres.

Johnson (5-7) struck out 10 and allowed one run on a leadoff homer, one of just three hits surrendered for the veteran lefty, who had not won since tossing six shutout innings against the Detroit Tigers on May 18.

Justin Upton and Mark Reynolds both hit solo homers for Arizona, which had lost four of five.

Josh Banks (2-4) dropped his fourth straight outing after being credited with all three runs on seven hits in a six-inning start for San Diego, which split its six-game road trip.

Scott Hairston clubbed a solo homer and Kevin Kouzmanoff recorded two doubles in defeat.

Hairston picked up where he left off on Saturday, clubbing Johnson's second pitch of the game into the left field seats for his second career leadoff long ball.

It was the only mistake Johnson would make, as he retired the next 10 hitters and didn't allow a base-runner to reach second until a leadoff double in the seventh.

Upton woke up the Arizona offense with a leadoff blast of his own in the fifth to tie the game. The shot traveled an estimated 484 feet, the second longest ball ever hit at Chase Field.

Later in the inning, Stephen Drew drove a two-out single to right to bring in Robby Hammock to make it a 2-1 D'Backs lead.

Reynolds made it a two-run game with by hammering a Banks offering to straightaway center field in the sixth, leaving the game in the hands of Johnson and the bullpen.

Johnson was removed in favor of Chad Qualls with a runner on second and one out in the seventh, and Qualls fanned Khalil Greene and Luis Rodriguez to end the inning.

The D'Backs almost threw away the game in the ninth, however. Adrian Gonzalez, who was named the Padres' only representative at this year's All-Star game, singled to start the inning, and Kouzmanoff followed with a double to the right field wall.

Arizona botched the relay throw, as the ball caromed off two gloves to allow Gonzalez to score and Kouzmanoff to move to third.

Brandon Lyon bore down and fanned Chase Headley on a full-count curveball and got Greene to ground out to a drawn-in second base. San Diego pinch hit Brian Giles with the tying run 90 feet away, but he dribbled weakly to second to secure the win and Lyon's 18th save of the season.

Game Notes

Johnson's six consecutive losses was his most since an eight game skid May 26- July 21, 1992. It is the 211th time the future Hall-of-Famer recorded 10 or more strikeouts in a game, ranking second all-time to Nolan Ryan's 215. The lefty now has 289 victories, giving him sole possession of 24th on the all- time list...Hairston notched two home runs on Saturday...Headley snapped his career-high 10-game hitting streak with an 0-for-4 effort at the plate...The D'Backs are 27-19 at home this year...Arizona starting pitchers Dan Haren and Brandon Webb were selected to the All-Star Game as well...The Diamondbacks placed pitcher Juan Cruz on the 15-day disabled list before the game, calling up pitcher Connor Robertson from Triple-A Tucson.