In a matchup for the aged, 41-year-old Tim Wakefield outpitched 44-year-old Randy Johnson and the Red Sox beat the Diamondbacks 5-0 last night at 96-year-old Fenway Park.
“Two guys with some great statistics going at it, totally different game, with good numbers,” said Boston's Coco Crisp, who had three doubles. “It's a classic.”
Not since Sept. 26, 1965, when Satchel Paige made a one-game comeback after a 12-year absence from the majors, had two pitchers of the combined age of Wakefield and Johnson started against each other in a Red Sox game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Paige, at 59 years, 81 days, allowed one hit in three shutout innings. Bill Monbouquette, at 29 years, 45 days, pitched a complete game for a 5-2 win over the Kansas City A's.
They were a combined 88 years, 126 days old compared with the Wakefield-Johnson total of 86/252.
It also was the oldest pitching matchup in the majors since July 21, 2007, when the combined ages of the Phils' Jamie Moyer and the Padres' David Wells was 88 years, 308 days.
Johnson was out of the game by the time Kevin Cash hit a three-run homer in the eighth off Juan Cruz. Brandon Moss drove in both runs Johnson allowed, on a run-scoring groundout and a sacrifice fly.
Wakefield went seven innings, allowing two of Arizona's three hits. Johnson went six innings, allowing eight hits.
GIANTS 4, INDIANS 1: Barry Zito finally got an interleague victory for visiting San Francisco. Zito allowed one run and four hits and walked none in 6 2/3 innings in his best start of the season. Zito entered the game 0-6 with a 9.32 ERA in interleague play as a Giant. Jose Castillo had three hits, including a homer, for the Giants.
DODGERS 5, WHITE SOX 0: Eric Stults pitched his first career complete game and capped a three-run fourth inning with a sacrifice fly to help Los Angeles win at home. Stults pitched a four-hitter for the Dodgers' second complete game of the season. Stults' sacrifice fly scored Blake DeWitt, who'd doubled in two runs.
ROYALS 4, ROCKIES 2: Luke Hochevar pitched a career-high eight innings, Ross Gload had three hits and two RBI and host Kansas City ran its winning streak to five. The Royals are a majors-best 12-3 in interleague play. Loser Aaron Cook was bidding to join Arizona's Brandon Webb for the NL lead in wins with 11.
