PHOENIX (AP) -- Randy Johnson is back at it.

The Cy Young Award winner struck out 10 in 8 2/3 innings Tuesday night and the Arizona Diamondbacks opened defense of their NL West title with a 6-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

	For openers, Randy Johnson hit 133 with his pitch count. "I don't like taking him out," manager Buck Showalter said.

Johnson (1-0) gave up four hits, including home runs by Scott Rolen and Desi Relaford, and left with a 6-2 lead.

"He never ceases to amaze me," Arizona manager Buck Showalter said. "He was amazing. I don't like taking him out. Nobody does. But you don't want to take your best pitcher and pitch 140 pitches on Opening Day."

Showalter replaced Johnson after he struck out Rico Brogna. Johnson's pitch count had reached 133, thanks to Mike Lieberthal's tough at-bat to lead off the inning, when Johnson had to throw 11 pitches before getting him to line out.

"I always have felt like whatever I start I want to finish," Johnson said. "I only had I think 113 pitches going out to the ninth inning. Lieberthal had a good at-bat and I ended up throwing him 11 or 12 pitches. That's enough pitches for one inning for most pitchers. It's a bit early to be throwing anything more than I already did."

Showalter said he almost lifted Johnson after eight innings, but decided to give him a shot in the ninth, much to the Phillies' disappointment.

"Of course I was hoping he wouldn't come out in the ninth," Philadelphia manager Terry Francona said. "I was hoping he wouldn't come back out in the second."

With closer Matt Mantei on the disabled list because of a sore shoulder, the Arizona bullpen struggled to get the last out.

Russ Springer relieved with a runner on first and gave up a walk and an RBI single to Relaford. Dan Plesac took over and allowed an RBI single to pinch-hitter Bobby Abreu.

Darren Holmes then relieved and retired Doug Glanville on a screaming line drive to third baseman Lenny Harris to get the save.

"I saw it coming," said Harris, who started in place of injured Matt Williams. "I knew if I didn't catch it, it was extra innings. A ball hit that hard you'd better catch it or it's going to hit you in the head."

Steve Finley, Luis Gonzalez and Damian Miller hit home runs off Andy Ashby (0-1), acquired in the offseason from San Diego.

"I don't want to go out and give up six runs. That's not my job," Ashby said. "It's frustrating not to give the team a shot to win."

Miller's three-run homer gave Arizona the lead in the second.

Gonzalez hit a two-run, 426-foot blast in the sixth. One out later, Finley hit a solo homer high off the left-field foul pole to make it 6-1. Finley finished 4-for-4.

Ashby, Philadelphia's opening-night pitcher because Curt Schilling is still rehabilitating from shoulder surgery, allowed six runs and eight hits in six innings.

Johnson, 3-0 in eight opening-day starts, didn't allow a hit until Lieberthal's one-out double in the fourth. Philadelphia cut the lead to 3-1 on Rolen's home run in the sixth.

Johnson, who walked two, benefited from some slick fielding by Harris and second baseman Jay Bell.

In the eighth, Bell made a diving stop to his right and threw out Brogna from his knees. Kevin Sefcik followed with a liner off Johnson's glove and Bell grabbed it on a short hop, then threw to first in time for the out.

Game notes
Abreu did not start because of a sore right elbow. Francona said Abreu would have been out of the lineup against Johnson anyway. ... Arizona left-handed reliever Greg Swindell will leave Wednesday to attend the funeral of his father, who lost a long battle with cancer. ... After going through a 2-for-44 slump last season and losing his job at first base, the Diamondbacks' Travis Lee started in right field, handled every ball that was hit to him, and had an opposite-field single in his first at-bat. ... Arizona had six left-handed batters in the starting lineup. ... Paid attendance was 44,298 and total attendance was 46,438, some 2,500 short of capacity, in part because the Lakers were playing the Suns a block away.