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Webb aims to improve on Opening Day clunker

Apr 7, 2007 - 4:47 PM Arizona (3-2) at Washington (1-4), 7:05 pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Brandon Webb did not look like a Cy Young Award winner in his first start of the season. He hopes for better results his second time out.

Webb takes the mound Saturday when the Arizona Diamondbacks visit the Washington Nationals.

The reigning National League Cy Young winner, Webb (0-0, 9.00 ERA) was shaky in his Opening Day outing against Colorado, yielding five runs and eight hits over five innings of an 8-6 victory.

Webb, who went 16-8 with a 3.10 ERA last season, owns an 0-2 record with a 6.43 ERA in four games - three starts - in his career against the Nationals.

Washington counters with John Patterson (0-1, 14.73), who also struggled in his season debut. The Nationals' ace righthander allowed six runs and seven hits in just 3 2/3 innings of a 9-2 loss to Florida. He has a career 2-0 record with a 1.32 ERA in two starts against the Diamondbacks.

Arizona has won the first two games of this four-game series, including Friday's 7-1 victory. Micah Owings worked five strong innings to win his major league debut while fellow rookie Chris Young had a three-run homer and a sacrifice fly.