Johnson Finds Form, Takes Orioles To Old School

Yankees 7, Orioles 1

Jason Giambi follows through on his third inning two-run home run, his second in the game, off Baltimore pitcher Bruce Chen. (Kathy Willens - Associated Press)

NEW YORK, April 23 -- He is gangly, seemingly all arms and legs, and certainly older, but when Randy Johnson takes the mound, he is still formidable despite the wrinkles and whatever shoulder ailment is supposed to be hindering him.

In a mismatch from the start against the soft-tossing Bruce Chen, Johnson was masterful as the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles, 7-1, Sunday in Yankee Stadium.

While Johnson overpowered, Chen laid almost every pitch near the middle of the plate and was hit hard. While Johnson disposed of the Orioles' lineup rather easily, Chen gave up two more home runs, both to Jason Giambi, and has allowed eight in the past three games. While Chen reverted back to his journeyman years, Johnson, 42, appeared to have tapped the fountain of youth.

"He looked like he was 22," Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora said of Johnson, who allowed three hits in eight innings. "He wasn't joking around. He came to pitch."

It was the one hitter who arrived at the ballpark much later than his teammates who had any success against Johnson. Shortstop Miguel Tejada walked into the Orioles clubhouse only one hour prior to the scheduled starting time of 1:05 p.m. Many of his teammates, who had been watching television, simply turned for a moment and watched the shortstop arrive at his locker and said nothing. Tejada said it was not a problem since it did not appear the game was going to start on time anyway. Rain had pelted the New York area for almost 12 hours and Sunday's game was delayed for 45 minutes.

Orioles Manager Sam Perlozzo said he had no issues with Tejada, and really how could he, since the shortstop seemed to be the only one prepared to face Johnson?

"I think today was my lucky day," Tejada said. "He didn't play around with anybody today. When you face Randy Johnson, it's hard to evaluate him. He can beat you with any pitch. One thing is that we got beat by a good pitcher."

It is perhaps a testament to Tejada's pure talent that he needed no detailed pregame preparation for facing Johnson or Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, whom Tejada singled against in the ninth inning to finish 4 for 4. Some teammates had studied film; Tejada simply put on his uniform, grabbed his bat and hit.

"That's hard to face Randy Johnson from one side and Rivera from the other side," Tejada said.

Not for Tejada, whose four hits raised his average to .425. Tejada was 8 for 12 in the three-game series against the Yankees and drove in both of Baltimore's runs the past two games.

But it was a one-man performance. Tejada provided Baltimore's lone run with a home run to left field on a hanging slider. The ball lofted into the air and struck high off the left-field foul pole -- the hardest hit ball against Johnson the entire day.

"If Tejada doesn't play, it may be a no-hitter," Yankees Manager Joe Torre joked.

It has been a rough start for Chen, who last season was Baltimore's best and most consistent starter. Chen has struggled so much, his ERA actually dropped from 8.10 to 7.84 after allowing five runs -- three earned -- in just four innings Sunday. For the moment, Perlozzo said Chen's spot in the rotation is not in question.

"We're going to hope he can put it together soon," Perlozzo said.

Chen believes he has an issue with command of his pitches. Both of Giambi's home runs came on fastballs that were over the plate. The second home run reached the upper deck in right field.

"I am confident I am going to get over this," Chen said. "I've gone through a lot. This is an obstacle I have to overcome. The most important start is the next start. I can't think about what is going to happen five starts from now. I can't think about what's going to happen five months from now. I think I've made some strides and I'm close."