Jackson putting up the numbers

Conor Jackson has gotten off to the kind of start All-Star seasons and career years are made of.

Jackson moved into a tie with Pat Burrell for the NL lead in RBIs with 25 after his home run in the third inning of an 8-7 victory Wednesday. And he is hitting .348.

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"I felt this was kind of a put-up or shut-up year for me," Jackson said.

"I always felt I had this in me. I always felt I was a decent hitter. It's nice to know my name is going to be in the lineup every day."

Jackson's homer was his fifth of the season, his second in as many days, and he is tied for the NL lead with three triples.

April was a career month for Jackson, more known as a strong finisher after hitting .341 with three homers and 17 RBIs in September 2006, and .326 with four homers and 14 RBIs in September 2007.

"He's made significant strides all the way around," manager Bob Melvin said.

"He's more comfortable (defensively), and a lot of times that will play offensively for you, too."

Jackson made another good defensive play Wednesday, when he barehanded Carlos Lee's spinning ground ball while sprawling on the ground and flipped it to pitcher Chad Qualls covering first base.

TURNING THE PAGE

The D-Backs won 20 games before turning the calendar to May, their third 20-win month in franchise history, counting the season opener March 31.

They were 20-6 in June 2003, and 20-8 in August 1999.

"You have to follow it up. It's nice for a young club to get off to a good start, but the season doesn't end in April," Melvin said.

"We try not to get too far out. We take it series to series."

The D-Backs have won eight of their nine series, splitting the other, since losing two games out of three in Cincinnati in the first series of the year.

LOCATION ISSUES

Randy Johnson gave up six earned runs in the first two innings, the second time since he returned in 2007 he has given up that many runs in a game. San Diego got six off him in his first start last season.

"Early on, it was not like the velocity was down," Melvin said.

"He just missed in the middle of the plate. He got better as he went along."

Johnson gave up a three-run home run to Lee on a hanging slider to cap a four-run first.

Two of the Astros' hits in a two-single inning did not get out of the infield, one on a bunt that hugged the third base line almost all the way to the bag.

He retired eight of the last nine he faced and did not walk a batter for the first time in his four starts.

SHORT HOPS

Chad Tracy had five hits, including two doubles, in an extended spring training game Tuesday and was to play first base Wednesday, his first time in the field while recovering from September knee surgery. Tracy gave his knee a good workout, running from second to home twice and sliding twice to break up potential double plays. The D-Backs hope to move him to Class AAA Tucson in a week or so. ...

Geddy Lee, the bassist, keyboardist and lead singer for the rock group Rush, was in attendance as a guest of Johnson, who occasionally jammed with the band years ago.