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Webb gets the better of Pirates again

Jun 7, 2008 - 4:57 AM By Chris Adamski PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- Brandon Webb showed the Pittsburgh Pirates why he has finished in the top two in Cy Young Award balloting the past two years.

Webb won his 11th game - two more victories than anyone else in baseball - by shutting the Pittsburgh Pirates down for seven innings in a 3-1 Arizona Diamondbacks win Friday night.

Webb (11-2) allowed one run on only three hits with no walks and had a no-hitter going through 4 2/3 innings until a Jose Bautista single to left-center.

"That's what they pay him for," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "Just the confidence that you have when he goes out there. Get a couple runs - he contributed one - and let him do his thing basically.

"We weren't unbelievable today offensively, but with Webby on the mound, it was just enough."

Webb had retired 14 in a row after hitting the first batter he faced, Nate McLouth. He had three strikeouts but only three of his outs left the infield. The Diamondbacks had lost three in a row and eight of 10 coming into the contest, and Webb said he relishes the role of "stopper."

"I look to do that," he said. "I've had to do it a couple times this year and been fortunate enough to be able to be that guy. I enjoy doing that. You obviously don't want to be in those kind of situations but it does happen and I've been fortunate enough to be able to stop it."

"He's got the best sinker in baseball by far," Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson said. "When he hits his spots, he's a real tough pitcher to hit."

Tony Pena worked a shutout eighth and Brandon Lyon worked out of a jam in the ninth for his 13th save. Lyon, who has not allowed a run in his past 20 appearances covering 20 innings, gave up singles to Xavier Nady and Jason Michaels but ended the game by getting Jack Wilson to pop out.

In addition to his stellar pitching, Webb added a two-out RBI single up the middle in the sixth to make it 3-1.

"The way (reserve utilityman) Chris Burke put it, if you drive in more than you give up, you're probably going to win just about every time," said Jeff Salazar, who scored the game's first run. "It takes the pressure of the offense when you got a guy like him throwing."

The Diamondbacks struck in the second inning against Pirates starter Ian Snell when a two-out double by Stephen Drew scored Jeff Salazar.

They tacked on a run in the fifth when Chris Young led off with a triple off the wall in center and scored when Hudson followed with a sacrifice fly to left.

"It's nice to have runs out there and be a little aggressive," Webb said. "Even with a three-run lead, two-run lead you can be aggressive in the strike zone and get ahead. That's what I was able to do tonight."

The Pirates, who were shut out for the first time this season on Tuesday by Houston, broke up the shutout in the sixth when Jason Bay's two-out double scored Freddy Sanchez.

Snell (2-6), who hasn't won since April 12, had nine strikeouts in only five innings of work but threw 108 pitches. He allowed two runs on five hits and three walks.

"He was real inconsistent with his command," Pirates manager John Russell said. "It was good he only gave up the two runs, but obviously we'd like him to be a little more efficient, go a little farther into the game. When you're matched up with Webb, you've got to be a little more efficient."