Phoenix ? Even by his own incredible standards, Randy Johnson was bringing it Sunday. His fastball has never been faster. His slider topped out at 90 mph.

“I just woke up today and I was a power pitcher,” he said with a straight face, “you know, lo and behold.”

Arizona's Randy Johnson throws a pitch in the first inning. Johnson struck out 16 Chicago Cubs in the Diamondbacks' 7-0 victory Sunday in Phoenix.

Johnson struck out 16 to earn his 19th victory as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Chicago Cubs 7-0.

“Velocity alone, this was by far his best game of the season,” Arizona manager Bob Brenly said. “We had him at 102 mph on the strikeout pitch to end the seventh. He hit 100 two other times, 99 two times and 98 seven times.”

Johnson’s win total is second in the majors to teammate Curt Schilling’s 21.

He scattered six hits and walked two to improve to 11-0 in 12 starts against the Cubs, who were missing Sammy Sosa because of a sore neck.

In seven starts since allowing eight runs in five innings of a loss at San Diego, Johnson is 6-0 with a 0.90 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 57 innings.

“I just feel like I’m locked in,” he said.

Johnson (19-4) reached double-digit strikeouts for the sixth start in a row, 14th time this season and 185th in his career, second only to Nolan Ryan’s 213.

The shutout was the Big Unit’s third this year second in five starts and 33rd of his career. He struck out four in a row twice in the game.

“That’s as dominating as I’ve seen him,” Arizona catcher Chad Moeller said. “Sixteen strikeouts, and he said it, he didn’t realize how hard he was throwing in the last inning. I’m looking up at the board and I see 99 up there. I mean it’s unbelievable what that guy is capable of.”

Johnson, who has had Moeller rather than Damian Miller as his catcher lately, praised Moeller’s performance.

The Big Unit said Moeller called for Johnson’s newest pitch, the split-finger fastball, and it worked for two strikeouts.

“That’s something I wouldn’t have thought of,” Johnson said.

Phillies 5, Cardinals 3

St. Louis Placido Polanco beat his former team with a go-ahead single in the ninth inning, and Philadelphia earned its first sweep at Busch Stadium since 1990.

Marlon Anderson and Pat Burrell homered for Philadelphia, which won its fifth in a row and is within a game of .500 for the first time since the first week of the season.

The Cardinals, who lead Houston by three in the NL Central, lost their third straight.

Carlo Silva (4-0) won in relief. Jose Mesa got three outs for his 36th save in 45 chances.

Astros 1, Reds 0

Houston Lance Berkman hit his 35th homer, a career high, and rookie Kirk Saarloos allowed four hits in seven innings..

Saarloos (6-3) struck out five and walked two, winning for the first time in three decisions since Aug. 10. He had won five starts in a row before that.

Pedro Borbon struck out three in the ninth for his first save since Aug. 20, 2000, with Toronto.

Ryan Dempster (7-13) allowed two hits and four walks in seven innings, giving up the first-inning homer to Berkman.

Giants 8, Expos 4

San Francisco Barry Bonds doubled twice and scored two runs, and Jason Schmidt earned his second victory on the homestand.

Benito Santiago drove in three runs and J.T. Snow knocked in two.

Schmidt (9-6) followed up his 13-strikeout performance Tuesday night by allowing six hits in seven innings. He struck out seven to win for the fourth time in five decisions.

Mets 7, Rockies 4

Denver Raul Gonzalez hit his first two major league homers and drove in four runs.

Edgardo Alfonzo also homered and had three RBIs for the Mets, who handed Denny Neagle (7-8) his first loss in six starts.

New York has won two in a row following a 12-game losing skid.

Al Leiter (11-10) limited the Rockies to two runs and five hits through seven innings.

Pirates 3, Brewers 2

Milwaukee Kris Benson (6-6) pitched eight solid innings and Rob Mackowiak homered.

Mackowiak had three hits, and Amaris Ramirez’s sacrifice fly snapped a seventh-inning tie as the Pirates sent Milwaukee to its fifth consecutive loss overall.

Marlins 7, Padres 6

San Diego Luis Castillo singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and Florida won its first road series in more than two months.

Kevin Millar homered and drove in three for the Marlins. Juan Encarnacion hit a solo shot, his 20th, to set a career high.

Braves 7, Dodgers 5

Los Angeles Chipper Jones and Javy Lopez homered in a five-run first inning and Mark DeRosa went 3-for-4 with a two-run triple.

The Dodgers lost for just the fourth time in 17 games. Their lead in the wild-card race fell to 312 game over San Francisco..

Damian Moss (7-5) got the win despite allowing five runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings.