"Josh Johnson is now set for Opening Night.

In what was his final tune-up before he takes the mound for the Marlins in their season opener Friday against the Mets, Johnson looked sharp Sunday by pitching seven scoreless innings.

Then again, those weren't the Mets he was facing on Field?5, one of the practice diamonds at the team's spring training complex. Johnson faced the Marlins' Double?A Jacksonville club.

Still, Johnson breezed through the final sharpener, scattering four hits while striking out five and walking none. He threw 87 pitches.

"It was a little bit different," Johnson said of the sandlot setting. "But it was better than the bus ride up to Viera."

Johnson was referring to the Marlins' Grapefruit League game Sunday against the Washington Nationals, up the road in Viera. He was originally scheduled to start that game. But the Marlins decided to keep him under wraps since he will make his second start of the season against the Nationals.

"You saw him — he looked great," said catcher Brett Hayes, who was behind the plate for Johnson.

Johnson threw a lot of changeups, a pitch he has worked on extensively this spring. He was so efficient, throwing 11 or fewer pitches in five of the seven innings, that he spent more time sitting in the open-air dugout than he did standing on the mound."