[ MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ]
Jerome Williams of Waipahu has won three games in four starts in Arizona's Bank One Ballpark in his career.National league
Giants’ Williams bigger
than Unit for third
time this season
PHOENIX >> Jerome Williams outpitched Randy Johnson again and the San Francisco Giants extended the Arizona Diamondbacks' downward spiral.
Williams allowed four hits over seven-plus innings to help the Giants beat Arizona 3-1 last night, sending the Diamondbacks to their club-record sixth straight home loss and ninth overall.
"I tell everybody that I never think about who I'm pitching against and don't care who I'm pitching against," said Williams, 3-0 against Johnson. "I just want to go out there and play and that's what I do."
Barry Bonds returned to the lineup and was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Giants, who won for the seventh time in nine games to remain 2 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Bonds missed Monday's series opener following root canal surgery.
Williams (9-6) allowed one unearned run, walked four and struck out two for his fifth win in seven decisions. His only failure, he said, was not getting a hit against Johnson.
"I thought I had it tonight," said Williams, who lined out to second and struck out twice. "Maybe I'll get him next time if he's still here."
Johnson (10-8) allowed three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits over seven innings with a walk and six strikeouts.
"I kinda got in a groove as the game progressed," Johnson said. "I obviously would like to have some of those pitches back I made early in the game, but as the game progressed I made some pitches and got out of some big innings."
The Diamondbacks are winless since the All-Star break and 2-14 under manager Al Pedrique. Arizona has lost 27 of 32 overall since mid-June.
"I feel like we had the right guys in the right situations and again we fell short executing and getting the big hits," Pedrique said.
Matt Herges loaded the bases in the ninth, but Jason Christiansen relieved and got Roberto Alomar to ground into a double play to end it, earning his first save of the season.
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