On May 8, 2001 — In Arizona – Diamondbacks flamethrower Randy Johnson strikes out 20 Reds in Arizona’s 4 – 3 win over Cincinnati in 11 innings. Johnson gets all 20 in his nine innings of work. While striking out 20 of the 29 batters he faced, Johnson walking none and allowing just one run on three hits.

Johnson, though, was unable to get the win, as the game was tied at 1-1 after nine innings. The “Big Unit” was removed after getting Juan Castro swinging for strikeout No. 20 to end the top of the ninth, and Arizona went on to win, 4-3, in 11 innings. The Reds score two in the top of the 11th, but the D’Backs come back with 3, scoring the winning run on a bases-loaded walk by reliever Danny Graves.

Diamondback southpaw fireballer Randy Johnson joins Roger Clemens and Kerry Wood as the only pitchers to strike out 20 batters in nine innings, although the deed will not be officially recognized as tying a record, at first, because the contest against the Reds goes extra innings. After being pulled in the ninth, the three-time Cy Young Award winner does not get an opportunity to break Tom Cheney’s major league mark of 21 strikeouts recorded by the 27 year-old Senator right-hander in a 16-inning contest on September 12, 1962 against the Orioles. Johnson ultimately struck out a career-high 372 batters in 2001, which is MLB’s third-highest single-season total in the modern era.

Arizona Diamondbacks 4, Cincinnati Reds 3

Game Played on Tuesday, May 8, 2001 (N) at Bank One Ballpark

CIN N    0  0  0    0  1  0    0  0  0    0  2  -   3  3  0
ARI N    0  0  0    0  0  1    0  0  0    0  3  -   4 10  1

BOX+PBP
WP: Brohawn (1-1)
LP: Graves (1-1)

Play by Play

REDS 1ST: Sadler was called out on strikes; Castro grounded out
(pitcher to first); Larkin struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Reds 0, Diamondbacks 0.

DIAMONDBACKS 1ST: Finley flied to left; Bell grounded out
(second to first); Gonzalez popped to first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0
LOB.  Reds 0, Diamondbacks 0.

REDS 2ND: Ochoa struck out; Boone grounded out (third to first);
Rivera struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0, Diamondbacks 0.

DIAMONDBACKS 2ND: Sanders grounded out (shortstop to first);
Grace grounded out (first to pitcher); Miller singled to left;
Womack grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. 
Reds 0, Diamondbacks 0.

REDS 3RD: Reese lined to second; Stinnett struck out; Reitsma
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0, Diamondbacks 0.

DIAMONDBACKS 3RD: Counsell singled to right; Johnson flied to
center; Finley popped to first; Bell struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Reds 0, Diamondbacks 0.

REDS 4TH: Sadler struck out (catcher to first); Castro struck
out; Larkin struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0,
Diamondbacks 0.

DIAMONDBACKS 4TH: Gonzalez singled to left [Gonzalez out at
second (left to second)]; Sanders grounded out (third to first);
Grace popped to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 0,
Diamondbacks 0.

REDS 5TH: Ochoa struck out (catcher to first); Boone singled to
left; Boone stole second; Rivera singled to center [Boone
scored]; Rivera was picked off and caught stealing second
(pitcher to first to shortstop); Reese struck out; 1 R, 2 H, 0
E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1, Diamondbacks 0.

DIAMONDBACKS 5TH: Miller lined to first; Womack flied to right;
Counsell grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Reds 1, Diamondbacks 0.

REDS 6TH: Stinnett flied to right; Reitsma struck out; Sadler
singled to right; Sadler stole second; Castro flied to center; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 1, Diamondbacks 0.

DIAMONDBACKS 6TH: Johnson singled to center; Finley forced
Johnson (first to shortstop); Bell singled to left [Finley to
third]; Gonzalez popped to second; Sanders singled to left
[Finley scored, Bell to second]; Grace grounded out (first
unassisted); 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Reds 1, Diamondbacks 1.

REDS 7TH: Larkin struck out; Ochoa struck out (catcher to
first); Boone struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1,
Diamondbacks 1.

DIAMONDBACKS 7TH: Miller flied to center; Womack struck out;
Counsell grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Reds 1, Diamondbacks 1.

REDS 8TH: Rivera struck out; Reese was called out on strikes;
Stinnett struck out (catcher to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Reds 1, Diamondbacks 1.

DIAMONDBACKS 8TH: Johnson flied to center; Finley popped to
third; Bell doubled to center; Gonzalez was walked
intentionally; Reitsma threw a wild pitch [Bell to third,
Gonzalez to second]; Sanders flied to center; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2
LOB.  Reds 1, Diamondbacks 1.

REDS 9TH: SANDERS BATTED FOR REITSMA; Sanders struck out; Sadler
grounded out (shortstop to first); Castro struck out; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1, Diamondbacks 1.

DIAMONDBACKS 9TH: REYES REPLACED SANDERS (PITCHING); Grace
grounded out (third to first); Miller struck out; COLBRUNN
BATTED FOR WOMACK; Colbrunn was called out on strikes; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Reds 1, Diamondbacks 1.

REDS 10TH: COLBRUNN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 3B); COUNSELL
CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING SS); KIM REPLACED JOHNSON (PITCHING);
Larkin walked; Ochoa out on a sacrifice bunt (first to second)
[Larkin to second]; TUCKER RAN FOR LARKIN; Boone walked; CASEY
BATTED FOR RIVERA; SWINDELL REPLACED KIM (PITCHING); Casey flied
to left; PRINZ REPLACED SWINDELL (PITCHING); Reese walked
[Tucker to third, Boone to second]; Stinnett flied to center; 0
R, 0 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Reds 1, Diamondbacks 1.

DIAMONDBACKS 10TH: CASTRO CHANGED POSITIONS (PLAYING SS); TUCKER
STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF); CASEY STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B);
Counsell grounded out (first unassisted); BAUTISTA BATTED FOR
PRINZ; RIEDLING REPLACED STINNETT (PITCHING); LARUE REPLACED
REYES (PLAYING C ); DURAZO BATTED FOR BAUTISTA; Durazo grounded
out (second to first); Finley struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. 
Reds 1, Diamondbacks 1.

REDS 11TH: SPRINGER REPLACED DURAZO (PITCHING); LaRue walked;
Sadler reached on an error by Springer on a sacrifice bunt
[LaRue to third, Sadler to second]; Castro walked; BROHAWN
REPLACED SPRINGER (PITCHING); Tucker was called out on strikes;
Ochoa hit a sacrifice fly to center [LaRue scored (unearned),
Sadler scored (unearned), Castro to second]; Boone flied to
left; 2 R (0 ER), 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Reds 3, Diamondbacks 1.

DIAMONDBACKS 11TH: GRAVES REPLACED RIEDLING (PITCHING); Bell
singled; Gonzalez singled to left [Bell to second]; Sanders
forced Bell (pitcher to third) [Gonzalez to second]; Grace
doubled [Gonzalez scored, Sanders scored]; DELLUCCI BATTED FOR
MILLER; Dellucci was walked intentionally; Colbrunn struck out;
Counsell walked [Grace to third, Dellucci to second]; WILLIAMS
BATTED FOR BROHAWN; Williams walked [Grace scored, Dellucci to
third, Counsell to second]; 3 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Reds 3,
Diamondbacks 4.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
 Reds             3   3   0    5
 Diamondbacks     4  10   1    9

@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

Other Resources & Links

[et_pb_signup provider=”getresponse” getresponse_list=”Thomas Hannon|zs45L” success_action=”redirect” success_redirect_url=”https://thisdayinbaseball.com/join-the-community/” success_redirect_query=”on|off|off|off|off” title=”Baseball history from Doubleday to Present Day” button_text=”Join us!” description=”

This Day In Baseball gives you cool facts and stories through baseball’s rich history.

” _builder_version=”4.17.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#E02B20″ link_option_url=”https://thisdayinbaseball.com/join-the-community/” link_option_url_new_window=”on” border_radii_fields=”on|32px|32px|32px|32px” global_module=”159917″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” /]