Griffey hits his first National League homer
It was only a matter of time until Ken Griffey Jr. hit his first home run for Cincinnati. That Randy Johnson pitched the National League's first shutout of the season wasn't surprising, either.
''It was bound to come,'' Griffey said Sunday after the Reds' 8-7, 11-inning win over the Chicago Cubs.
Griffey, acquired from Seattle in January, was 2-for-24 before his two-run homer off Scott Downs.
''If four games makes a career, there would be a whole lot of people in this locker room, including myself, that wouldn't be here,'' Griffey said.
Johnson, another Mariners refugee, pitched a five-hitter and struck out 13 to beat Jason Schmidt in the Arizona Diamondbacks's 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In other games, Atlanta beat San Francisco 9-3, Florida edged Colorado 7-6, Montreal defeated San Diego 2-1, St. Louis routed Milwaukee 11-2 and Philadelphia beat Houston 3-2. Los Angeles' game at New York was snowed out and will be made up April 24.
Diamondbacks 1, Pirates 0
Johnson (2-0) his 26th career shutout and 69th complete game. He has 127 double-digit strikeout games in his career, including both of his starts this season.
Braves 9, Giants 3
Bobby Bonilla had his first three-RBI game since May 6, 1998. Bonilla hit a solo homer in the fifth inning for a 3-2 lead at Turner Field and added a two-run single in the sixth that chased starter Russ Ortiz (0-1).
Marlins 7, Rockies 6
Preston Wilson hit a controversial home run and Mike Lowell drove in four runs with a three-run double in the fifth and a solo homer in the eighth.
Wilson's two-run homer down the left-field line off Pedro Astacio (0-2) in the first inning appeared to be foul by about six feet. But third-base umpire John Shulock, in his first series at Pro Player Stadium, called the ball fair.
Ryan Dempster (1-1) struck out nine in 7 1-3 innings at Miami, allowing three runs and five hits, and Antonio Alfonseca pitched the ninth for his third save.
Expos 2, Padres 1
At Olympic Stadium, Hideki Irabu (1-1) allowed one run and seven hits in seven innings in his first appearance against the team he refused to play for in 1997. Ugueth Urbina pitched the ninth for his second save.
Cardinals 11, Brewers 2
Rookie Rick Ankiel (1-0), making his sixth career start, had a career-high 10 strikeouts in six innings. Mark McGwire led a six-homer attack with his a three-run blast off Valerio de los Santos (0-1) in the first.
Phillies 3, Astros 2
Mickey Morandini's two-out RBI single off Jay Powell (0-1) rallied visiting Philadelphia.
Steve Schrenk (1-1) got five outs for the win. Wayne Gomes retired Daryle Ward on a inning-ending groundout with the bases loaded in the eighth and Gomes finished for his second save.