updated 12:40 a.m. ET May 16, 2007

DENVER - Randy Johnson’s back.

And for the first time since he underwent back surgery in October, those three words were said of the 43-year-old lefty, who pitched his best game of the season, allowing one hit over six innings in the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 3-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies on a cold, overcast Tuesday night.

For the second straight start, Johnson (1-2) looked like the Big Unit who won five Cy Young awards. Johnson struck out nine and walked none in winning for the first time since his return to Arizona after two frustrating seasons with the New York Yankees.

“I feel like I’m starting to hit my stride,” Johnson said. “Things are starting to come around.”

Johnson’s slider was working well and he threw first-pitch strikes to 14 of the 18 batters he faced in oudueling Jason Hirsh, who also had his best performance of the season.

“For the most part, I felt in command and that’s the biggest thing,” Johnson said. “Whether you got good stuff or getting-by kind of stuff, you’ve just got to get ahead, especially at this ballpark.”

Johnson retired the first nine hitters before Willy Taveras bunted his way aboard leading off the fourth, which led to his only bad throw of the night.

Johnson fielded the ball, spun around and tossed it halfway between the plate and first base. It skidded into the fence in front of the Rockies’ dugout.

“He was going to be safe, and I didn’t mean to throw it,” Johnson said. “It just slipped out of my hand.”

It mattered little when Johnson picked him off first base one out later.

In his previous start, against Philadelphia, Johnson threw six strong innings before falling apart in the seventh. This time, he didn’t hit that wall because he didn’t come out for the seventh, calling it a night after 79 pitches on a crisp evening and giving way to right-hander Tony Pena.

Pena gave up one hit, a single to Troy Tulowitzki, in two scoreless innings and Jose Valverde finished the three-hitter with his 13th save in 15 chances.

Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin had said before the game he was comfortable with a pitch count around 100 for Johnson, but he changed his mind after watching him work six spectacular innings.

“I wanted to get him out where we didn’t have to take him out in the middle of a jam,” Melvin said. “We had a full compliment of bullpen tonight.”

Johnson didn’t mind the quick hook, either.

“This is only my fifth start in the season, why push it?” he said. “I’m just hitting my stride. To think I’m 100 percent now is far from the case. I’m getting there, absolutely, and the results indicate that. But let me work into that. I don’t need to go seven innings all the time or eight or nine.

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