Arizona's Johnson blanks Detroit for win number 288

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Randy Johnson won his 288th career game, pitching the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 4-0 victory over the visiting Detroit Tigers on Sunday.

The 44-year-old Johnson (4-1) went a season-high seven innings, striking out five and walking one in the interleague game. He gave up six hits in gaining his fourth successive win.

The win tied him for 24th on the all-time victory list.

"I don't really think about that kind of stuff now," Johnson told reporters when asked about the quest to win 300 games. "I just want to be a part of winning ball games here."

He said his goal was to help the Diamondbacks return to the playoffs.

"I wasn't (part of it) last year," he said. "I've worked extremely hard having two back surgeries and I want to be a part of that."

Chris Young drove in three of the Diamondbacks' runs but heaped praise on Johnson.

"He's amazing," Young told reporters. "Just watching from center field you see how good he really is."

Johnson gave up two hits in the first inning before settling down.

"Early on, he gave up some hits but (it) looked like his command wasn't there right away," manager Bob Melvin told reporters. "(Later) the stuff was similar to what we've seen, the command was much better. I think this is the type of game he was looking for."

Chad Qualls relieved Johnson in the eighth with Brandon Lyon pitching the ninth for the National League Diamondbacks, who at 28-16 have the best record in Major League Baseball.

Young's two-run double to deep center field staked the Diamondbacks to a 2-0 lead in the fifth inning. Young then walked with the bases loaded in the sixth to make it 4-0.

Chris Burke doubled in Mark Reynolds earlier in the sixth for Arizona's third run.

(Writing by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina; Editing by Ed Osmond)