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Randy Johnson became the 24th MLB pitcher to win 300 games. And he may be the last person to do it. After 21 seasons in the big leagues, the Big Unit finally picked up his 300th career victory as a member of the San Francisco Giants.

Johnson, a five-time Cy Young Award winner as his league’s best pitcher, allowed one run on two hits over six innings yesterday as the San Francisco Giants beat the Washington Nationals 5-1 at Nationals Park in Washington.

“This is a long-term thing that has gone on for 21 years and you finally get to this day and know if the team plays well and you pitch well that something can happen that has only happened 24 other times,” Johnson, 45, said. “I’m really at a loss for words.”

A 6-foot-10 left-hander nicknamed the “Big Unit,” Johnson has a 300-164 record, including a 5-4 mark this season, his first with the Giants. He has pitched for six major-league teams.

In this particular outing, Johnson was phenomenal in his start as he threw six innings and allowing only two hits and an unearned run in the victory. He can also thank his teammates for this victory as his defense made some spectacular plays behind him. Centerfielder Aaron Rowand made a diving backhanded catch on a long drive hit by the Nationals’ Nick Johnson and Emmanuel Burriss made the play of the night on a diving grab on the ground ball of Ronnie Belliard and flipped to shortstop Edgar Renteria for a 4-6-3 double play. That was probably the difference in the game as the Nationals were threatening with runners on 1st and 2nd and 0 outs and the Giants leading only 2-0 at the time.  However, Giants ended up holding on for the victory and giving Johnson his 300th career victory.

Closer Brian Wilson came in the 8th inning with two outs and loaded the bases and ran the count full on power hitter Adam Dunn and struck him out on a fastball looking in a 3-2 count to end the 8th inning. Wilson finished the game and picked up the save as he struck out the side in the 9th blowing fastballs by the Nationals hitters and putting his name in the History books as being the one who saved the game for Johnson’s milestone victory. 

Johnson ranks second to Nolan Ryan in major-league history with 4,855 strikeouts, has thrown two no-hitters and won four straight National League Cy Young Awards with the Arizona Diamondbacks from 1999 to 2002. He won his first Cy Young in the American League with Seattle in 1995

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