Randy Johnson complete game for win No. 295

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PHOENIX — A couple days ago, Randy Johnson walked past his manager, Bob Melvin, and gave him pointed instructions about his final start of the season.

Johnson told Melvin to disregard his pitch-count limit when he took the mound in pursuit of career victory No. 295 in the Arizona Diamondbacks' season finale.

"I knew right then and there it was a little more than just another game for him," Melvin recalled.

No doubt.

Johnson needed 105 pitches to throw a complete game Sunday and nab elusive No. 295 in the D-backs' 2-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies. Arizona (82-80) ended on a three-game winning streak, but in second place and out of the playoffs.

Now the question remains — will Johnson return next season, as a 45-year-old hunting for his 300th victory? And where?

"I haven't even thought about that," he told a crowd of reporters. "I don't know what I'm having for dinner tonight."

While Johnson declined to hint about a return, Melvin has expressed his support for another comeback.

"He has a big carrot dangling out there for him," Melvin said. "He's shown that when he's got his sights set on something, he goes after it pretty hard."

In one of the best performances of his 21st season, Johnson struck out nine and walked one in nine innings — his most innings since a nine-inning game on June 16, 2005. Colorado scored a run in the first inning after Mark Reynolds' major-league-leading 35th error, a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch.

Johnson allowed two hits — both singles by Troy Tulowitzki. One was a grounder back to the mound that Johnson tried to field with his pitching hand.

"I was trying to win a Gold Glove with my bare hand," he joked.

Since his previous victory on Aug. 12, Johnson had accumulated five consecutive no-decisions and two losses.

When he walked off the mound after striking out Chris Iannetta looking to end the Rockies' seventh, the crowd roared and team mascot D. Baxter the Bobcat bowed on top of the dugout, but Johnson wasn't finished.

With the D-backs down 1-0, he came to bat with a runner on first in the seventh and struck out.

"I wanted it to be his game today, based on how he was doing at the time, and it looked like he had a lot left in his tank," Melvin said.

After Arizona tied the game in the eighth on Chris Young's 22nd home run, Johnson induced two flyouts and a groundout in the ninth. The crowd responded with a standing ovation. Johnson tipped his cap as he walked off the field, then emerged from the dugout for a curtain call.

"The fans here have always been very supportive of me and I appreciate that," said Johnson, who went 11-10 with a 3.91 ERA in his eighth season with Arizona.

In the ninth, the D-backs loaded the bases with two walks and a single against reliever Luis Vizcaino. Young drew a two-out walk to win the game.

"I guess you couldn't really ask for anything more than the way the game ended today, to go nine innings and have everything develop the way it did," Johnson said.

His teammates felt the same way.

"For him to come out and throw unbelievable innings like he did just shows what kind of competitor he is," left fielder Adam Dunn said. "I'm very lucky I got to play with him."