San Francisco hopes that Johnson, a five-time Cy Young Award winner, will perform a little better than its reigning Cy Young winner did in Tuesday's 10-6 season-opening win.

Johnson (11-10, 3.91 ERA in 2008), who spent the last two seasons with Arizona, signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Giants in December. He's in San Francisco not only to post victories, but also to mentor young right-handers Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, last season's Cy Young winner.

Lincecum, who had a Major League-best 265 strikeouts in 2008, struck out five Tuesday, but allowed three earned runs and four hits in just three innings.

He will receive his Cy Young Award on Wednesday before the second game of this three-game series.

Johnson, meanwhile, opens his 22nd season with 4,789 strikeouts (second all-time to Nolan Ryan's 5,714) and 295 career wins. With five more victories, he will become the 24th player to reach the 300-win plateau.

Johnson couldn't be happier to have that opportunity in San Francisco, just 45 miles from where he grew up in Livermore.

"I'm excited to come back to where I started my baseball career," he said. "As a visiting player with the Diamondbacks, a couple of the reporters would ask me, 'Toward the end of your career, do you see yourself playing in the Bay Area?' It's always nice to come back and play there."

Milwaukee defeated Johnson twice last season, but its individual hitters have not enjoyed much success against him with the exception of Jason Kendall, who is batting .317 (13-for-41) lifetime versus the Big Unit.

Bill Hall, who had a double and an RBI on Tuesday, is 0-for-13 in his career against the 45-year-old left-hander, while Mike Cameron has just two hits in 29 at-bats.

Prince Fielder, going for his third straight 30-plus home run season, went 2-for-4 with an RBI in the season-opener. He is hitless in three at-bats against Johnson, who is 3-2 with a 2.14 ERA in seven career starts at AT&T Park .

While Johnson is looking to prove he can still perform following multiple back surgeries, Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo (0-0, 1.88) is excited to start the season in good health. He made just four starts in 2008 due to injuries in both of his knees.

The 23-year-old right-hander passed up an opportunity to pitch for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic so he could be healthy and ready for 2009.

"I just think it's a good decision for me with the fact I was hurt last year and that threw things off a little bit," Gallardo told mlb.com. "Of course, I would have loved to go, and hopefully the opportunity will be there the next time it comes around."

Gallardo will attempt to slow down the Giants, who pounded out 12 hits on Tuesday as they won their first home game against the Brewers since a 5-4 victory on Aug. 26, 2007.

Bengie Molina went 2-for-5 with a home run in Tuesday's win. He has three hits in five career at-bats against Gallardo.

Travis Ishikawa and Aaron Rowand each had two hits and three RBIs for San Francisco in the season opener.