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Webb shuts down Marlins as Diamondbacks win fifth straight

Jul 26, 2007 - 6:45 AM By Bob Huhn PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Brandon Webb tossed seven shutout innings to help the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 7-0 victory over the Florida Marlins on Wednesday.

Conor Jackson and Scott Hairston each had two hits and two RBI for Arizona, which have won five straight to move within 1 1/2 games of the Los Angeles Dodgers for first in the National League West.

The reigning Cy Young Award winner, Webb pitched in-and-out of trouble most of the night but got the outs when he needed them for his first win in since June 27 - a span of four starts. In that game he also threw seven shutout innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I battled every inning but the sixth," Webb said. "My fastball was everywhere. I didn't have a good feel for it. Somehow I made some big pitches when I had to and somehow it ended up working out."

Webb (9-8) scattered six hits, walked three and struck out eight while throwing 72 of 108 pitches for strikes. All but two of the 21 outs recorded by the sinkerballer were ground-ball outs.

"He struggled with his command especially his fastball the whole night," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "It is a funny game, you go out there with great stuff and give up three runs and then you go out there and fight yourself the whole game like he did and get those results. He found a way to get through it."

Florida had opportunities to get to Webb in the first and second innings. Webb walked three batters to load the bases in the first but induced a ground ball to third off the bat of Miguel Olivo to end the frame. Florida had runners on second and third with two out, but Dan Uggla hit a lazy fly to right for the final out.

"We had chance to put up a couple of runs on the board and maybe the game changed," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He (Webb) is the Cy Young award winner and he made some pitches but it seemed like the last two games we had some opportunities to score but couldn't get it done."

Juan Cruz threw a scoreless eighth and Doug Slaten worked the ninth.

Chris Young ignited the offense in the first with his 16th home run and his third career leadoff homer off of Florida starter Scott Olsen (8-8) for a 1-0 lead.

"I was up there just trying to get anything to get things started," Young said. "I wasn't planning to hit a home run but got enough of it."

For the second night in a row Arizona broke open the game in the third inning this time scoring five runs in the frame.

With Arizona leading, 1-0, Jackson and Mark Reynolds started the onslaught with back-to-back doubles to knock in the first two runs. Stephen Drew contributed with an RBI single and Hairston capped the barrage with a two-run double off the wall in center, giving Arizona a 6-0 lead.

The Marlins decided to keep Olsen (8-8) in the rotation despite his arrest early Saturday morning by Miami police for driving under the influence and resisting arrest. The lefthander allowed season highs in runs and hits. In five innings, Olsen yielded seven run and 11 hits while walking three and striking out four.

The Marlins stranded 11 runners on base and played without Hanley Ramirez for the third consecutive game. Ramirez, the team's leading hitter suffered a partial tear in his left shoulder last Sunday.