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Quick start helps Dodgers derail Webb, Diamondbacks

Sep 1, 2008 - 4:48 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Andre Ethier and Casey Blake homered to highlight a four-run first inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers prevented Brandon Webb from becoming the majors' first 20-game winner with an 8-1 triumph over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.

Ethier added a two-run double in the fourth and Derek Lowe (11-11) pitched six strong innings for Los Angeles (67-70), which moved to within 2 1/2 games of first-place Arizona (69-67) in the National League West.

The Dodgers have now won two in a row after snapping a season-high eight-game losing streak.

"We found a way to gain one game and the way our division is one game could be very important," Lowe said. "We have a chance to play them next weekend at home but we are going to have to go on a substantial run to catch them."

"We weathered the storm and fortunately Arizona wasn't playing real well this past week either. It could have gotten real ugly," Blake said. "We were able to get some guys on and get some key hits. That was the difference. I think he (Webb) had some command issues. He was falling behind guys. I saw him a lot better today then in L.A."

Mark Reynolds belted a solo home run in the seventh inning for Arizona, which has lost six of its last seven games while failing to score more than four runs in any of the setbacks.

Webb (19-6) matched his shortest outing of the season by pitching 3 1/3 innings. He surrendered eight runs and eight hits while walking five and striking out three.

The righthanded sinkerballer squandered his first shot at his 20th win on Tuesday when he allowed six runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings at San Diego. The loss to the Padres snapped a string of nine straight quality starts in which he went 7-0 with a 1.50 ERA.

Webb was looking to become the first NL pitcher to win 20 games since then-Florida Marlins hurler Dontrelle Willis recorded 22 and St. Louis' Chris Carpenter had 21 in 2005.

"Physically, he's fine, and watching him warm up I thought he made some significant adjustments from his last time out," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "He's just having trouble getting his ball to go where he wants it to go."

The Dodgers' own sinkerball specialist, Lowe allowed four hits while walking one and striking out two to pick up the win.

Scott Elbert struck out the side in the seventh, Cory Wade worked the eighth and Jonathan Broxton struck out the side in the ninth for the Dodgers.

"Baseball is a game of streaks. We had a tough time this week especially losing the first game of the series and you come back and get the next two is big for us," Los Angeles manager Joe Torre said.

"I saw a different personality with our club today. You have to release some pressure and today we played a good loose game and Derek Lowe did a good job for us."