D-Backs notebook: Milestone K ball safe with Unit

MILWAUKEE - Catcher Miguel Montero did not know exactly what to do with the ball Randy Johnson used to pass Roger Clemens on the career strikeout list Tuesday, keep it or throw it around the horn as usual. He threw it.

Brewers ruin Johnson’s big night as D-Backs lose

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Third baseman Mark Reynolds knew what he could have done when the ball came to him.

“I should have made a switch and sold it on eBay,” Reynolds said with a smile.

Instead, Reynolds gave the ball to a batboy, who passed it to a major league baseball authenticator, who later relayed it to Johnson in the D-Backs’ clubhouse.

Johnson passed Clemens by striking out Mike Cameron, Milwaukee’s second batter, and when the first inning was over, Montero shook Johnson’s hand before he walked into the dugout. Eric Byrnes did, too.

“It’s an incredible feat,” Byrnes said.

“I’m proud to be his teammate. To pitch that long and strike out that many guys is a testament to the Hall of Fame pitcher that he is.”

Johnson has 4,680 strikeouts, second only to mentor Nolan Ryan (5,714).

Johnson’s ratio of 10.76 strikeouts per nine innings is the best in major league history, and he has led that category since 1994.

A 'D’ ON DEFENSE

With two more errors Tuesday, the D-Backs have 39 errors this season, on pace for 107, which would tie for the second most in franchise history. They have permitted an NL-high 35 unearned runs.

“We haven’t so far been very good defensively,” manager Bob Melvin said.

“You look at the number of errors we’ve made, the unearned runs. We’re not happy about it.”

Mark Reynolds has 10 errors, third most in the NL behind Milwaukee’s Bill Hall (13) and Florida’s Jorge Cantu (12), also third basemen.

Of Reynolds’ errors, seven are throwing errors, as was his one Monday, when he threw wildly to the plate with the bases loaded to permit two runs to score.

“He makes the fantastic plays … then at other times, maybe on some routine plays, doesn’t set his feet. Then he rushes to throw, like he did last night,” said Melvin, adding that “you want guys to be really good on the routine plays.”

Justin Upton leads major league outfielders with six errors.

“Sometimes with younger teams, you go through droughts or slumps or whatever a little bit longer,” Melvin said.

“You stay with the guys and try to improve and have confidence you will improve.”

SHORT HOPS

Conor Jackson (quadriceps) ran in pregame work, took ground balls and has a reasonable chance to start today against left-hander Manny Parra, Melvin said. “You have to weigh, is the day off better for him or if he is ready to go, give him a game and a day off after that, with the potential to keep his stroke that much closer to when he left,” he said.

Eric Byrnes took a turn on the stair machine Tuesday and also stood at the plate when Brandon Webb and Dan Haren threw their normal bullpen sessions in order to see live pitching. It is safe to say Byrnes does handle the disabled list well.

“He beat me to the park today,” said Melvin, traditionally among the first arrivals. “He’s running around like a chicken with his head cut off, trying to create as much of a stir as he can. He can’t sit still. He’s in the clubhouse. I’m sure he’s on the concourse running around during a game.”

Byrnes is still not expected to test his hamstrings until the D-Backs get to Pittsburgh.