During a mid-90s trip to Cleveland, I ran into Randy Johnson one morning in a mall - and the Big Unit was weaing a suit and tie.

Surprised, I asked him why he was dressed so well.

"You never know when you might meet the future Mrs. Unit," Randy replied.

Ah, those were the days. The days when, for instance, he was speaking to me. We had a lot of conversations early on, more than a few laughs.

Now, he's back, not as an Astro or Diamondback, a Yankee or a Diamondback again, but as a Giant. And he's looking for career win No. 299.

It's Randy vs. Jason Vargas, and we're off.

That was quick

Aaron Rowland hit the fourth pitch of the game into the San Francisco bullpen, and Vargas may be hopelessly behind.

One run? The Mariners have scored once in their last 18 innings.

Mr. Johnson has a lead.

In the first: Giants 1, Mariners 0

We have a pitching duel

Johnson isn't blazing tonight - he's topped out at 92 mph, so far - but he's throwing a slider the Mariners aren't hitting hard.

The surprise may be Vargas, something of a junk-balling lefty, who has five strikeouts through three innings.

Neither of these teams scores much, and so far scoring has been held to one first-inning swing.

In the third: Giants 1, Mariners 0

The Streak lives

A fifth-inning error allowed Franklin Gutierrez to reach base, and then Icihro Suzuki go a hit only Ichiro can get.
Topping a ball in front of the plate, Ichiro legged out his 16th infield single of the season and extended his hitting streak to 16 games.
Two on, one out and Adrian Beltre up? Johnson got a ground ball force out from Beltre, and with runners at the corners struck out Mike Sweeney.

The Mariners may never score again.

After five: Giants 1, Mariners 0

Good Lord! It's a Mariners rally

Don Wakamatsu isn't afraid of risks, and the one he took in sixth inning changed this game.

With two on, one out and a 3-2 count on Jose Lopez, the Mariners manager sent his runners - and Lopez delivered a ground ball that pushed home Seattle's first run since the first inning of Wednesday's game.

A bloop single by Yuniesky Betancourt loaded the bases, and Johnson was lifted for a reliever.

Feel good moment of the night? As Randy walked off the mound, he doffed his cap and saluted the 38,520 fans at Safeco Field - and they roared back appreciation.

Reliever Brandon Medders struck out Gutierrez. Ichiro - batting .219 with runners in scoring position this season - grounded into a force.

The Unit won't lose, but he won't get No. 299 tonight.

After six: Mariners 1, Giants 1

And another Mariners rally!

Adrian Beltre singled to open the seventh inning, and when Fred Lewis let the ball get by, Beltre wound up at second base.

Sweeney flied deep enough to right field that Beltre took thircx base, and the Giants brought their infield in for cleanup hitter Wladimir Balentien.

He struck out for the third time.

That brought in reliever Jeremy Affeldt to face Branyan, lefty-vs.-lefty, with two outs and the go-ahead run at third base.
Branyan worked the count full, then walked to bring up Kenji Johjima.
Johjima grounded out.

Vargas, who has gone seven marvelous innings, is done for the night. Like Johnson, he won't win or lose.

For now, it's Mark Lowe's game.

Afer seven: Mariners 1, Giants 1

And in the ninth ...

With the score tied, Ichiro grounded out, but Beltre blooped a single into left field - his second hit of the night - to bring up Sweeney.

Sweeney legged out an infield single, getting Beltre to second base, and Endy Chavez ran for Sweeney.

Balentien grounded to first, pushing both runners up a base, and the Giants promply walked Branyan intentionally.

Ken Griffey Jr., batting for Johjima, got a standing ovation for moving into the on-deck circle - and no one sat down when he walked to the plae.

On a 2-1 pitch, Junior flied to the warning track in right-center field.

Extra innings game No. 5.

After nine: Mariners 1, Giants 1

And in the 11th ...

The pitching has been fabulous tonight, and the bullpens have dominated, but there seems a real chance neither the Giants or Mariners will ever score again.

Send food.

After 11: Mariners 1, Giants 1

And in the end
Beltre opened the 12th inning with a walk, and fans began sacrificing mice in the outfield seats and chanting in the upper deck.

Russell singled Belte to third, and in the Mariners dugout, grown men wept.

Rob Johnson walked to load 'em up with no one out, and women in the stands promised to name their next child after whoever produced an RBI.

Jose Lopez did, singling off the outfield wall.

Final: Mariners 2, Giants 1

Look at that hair. Now that's the hair of a hard-throwing ace of a baseball staff. Maybe Felix Hernandez should try growing out a little Kentucky Waterfall.

In all seriousness, Randy Johnson returns to Seattle tonight in search of his 299th win. He may not get as warm of reception as Ken Griffey Jr. did when he came back with Cincinnati a few years ago, I'm pretty sure he won't receive the boos that Alex Rodriguez did either.

Columnist John McGrath checks in on the subject ... As does Art Thiel. Apparently Johnson isn't going to get misty-eyed in his return, but Giants first baseman Travis Ishikawa - a Federal Way native - wants to see Junior.

I'm sure Lash will post some of his "favorite" moments with Johnson later today.

Most Mariners fans that I talk to have a healthy respect for the Unit and what he meant to this organization during one of its most successful periods. Of course, that whole trade in 1998 to the Houston Astros left some fans miffed. Many people thought he mailed it in that first half of the season trying to force a trade,going 9-10 with a 4.33 ERA. And they were even more incensed that he went 10-1 with a 1.28 ERA, to lead Houston to the playoffs.

And what the Mariners received in the trade -- Freddy Garcia, Carlos Guillen, John Halama -- all were contributors, but never superstars and all moved on as well.

I actually saw the Unit pitch for the Astros that year in the Astrodome and he beat the Cincinnati Reds - 1-0. He tossed nine innings, allowed six hits and struck out 14, while walking one. At times it looks like he was pitching to the little leaguers.

Regardless of that season, you cannot overlook or underestimate what he did for the Mariners, particularly in the 1995 playoffs, or what he achieved in the game of baseball.

And it goes beyond his hair cut, or lack thereof back then.

Here's a quick look at his resume.

10-time all star
5 Cy Youngs -- 1995, including four in a row 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
No-hitter on June 2, 1990 against Detroit
Perfect game May 18, 2004 against Atlanta
Led the league in ERA in 1995, 19999, 2001, 2002
Led the league in strikeouts nine times.

Career numbers
4080 innings pitched
298 career wins (24th overall)
164 losses
Career 3.29 ERA
4,831 career strikeouts (2nd all-time)
Average of 10.66 strikeouts per inning pitched (1st all-time)
37 career shutouts