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Webb notches first home win as Diamondbacks top Astros

May 27, 2007 - 6:11 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Brandon Webb held the Houston Astros at bay until he got some help from the Arizona Diamondbacks' resurgent offense.

Webb threw seven strong innings and Eric Byrnes drove in a pair of insurance runs as the Arizona Diamondbacks posted a 5-4 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday.

Webb allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. The 28-year-old Webb threw 73 of 98 pitches for strikes and won for the first time in his last two starts.

"I felt pretty good even though I was getting dinked around in the first couple of innings," Webb said. "They got a couple of infield hits early but after that I kind of settled in. I was throwing first-pitch strikes, had a pretty good changeup and was able to get some strikeouts."

Prior to this series, the Diamondbacks had been scuffling, managing just one run in two losses. However, Arizona's bats have come alive in outscoring Houston, 27-8, in the first three games of the four-game series.

Chris Snyder had a pair of hits and an RBI for the Diamondbacks, who have won three in a row and five of seven.

"We are just thriving on each other offensively," Snyder said. "If it is not one guy, it is the next and the guys have that feeling now that we are going to put up some runs."

With Arizona leading, 3-2, in the seventh, Byrnes hit a one-out bases-loaded double to left-center off reliever Chad Qualls that pushed the lead to 5-2 and sent Houston spiraling to its season high-tying seventh straight loss.

"His hit was enormous off a very tough customer," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said of Byrnes. "Chad Qualls is no easy task for anybody, right, left or in between. He put together a great at-bat and squared up, which is very difficult to do against Qualls."

Meanwhile, Webb (4-3), who won 16 games last season, including 10 at home, notched his first win at home after going 0-2 with a 5.46 ERA in his first four outings at Chase Field.

The Astros were a welcome sight for the righthanded sinkerballer, as he beat them on May ll by striking out 10 in a 3-1 win. He is now 4-1 in seven career starts against them.

"It gives you a little bit of confidence knowing that I have thrown well against these guys," Webb said.

Tony Pena relieved Webb and recorded the first two outs of the eighth before walking Lance Berkman and allowing a two-run homer to Carlos Lee. Lee's 10th homer of the season cut the lead to 5-4. Pena got out of the frame by getting Hunter Pence to ground out to first.

Jose Valverde came in and threw a perfect ninth for his major league-leading 18th save in 19 tries.

Orlando Hudson helped Arizona snap a 2-2 tie when he hit a one-out triple in the sixth to right-center field - his fourth of the season - and scored on Tony Clark's sacrifice fly to right-center.

Mark Loretta had three hits for the Astros, who have struggled offensively, scoring just 11 runs during their seven-game skid.

Chris Sampson (4-5) has been victimized by the lack of offense and did not pitch bad in this one. Sampson is 1-4 in his last five starts and received just six total runs of support in that stretch. He allowed three runs and four hits in six innings but took the loss.

"Looking back, I made three mistake pitches and the way they are swinging the bat, you can't make any mistakes," Sampson said. "They are swinging the bat well and we are struggling so you can't make any mistakes to any of them."

The Astros took a 1-0 when Mike Lamb led off with an infield single and Mark Loretta followed with a single.

Houston tied the game in the sixth when Loretta hit a leadoff double to right-center field. He advanced to third when Berkman hit a line drive off the elbow of Webb. Berkman was thrown out by shortstop Stephen Drew.

Lee then drove in Loretta with a sacrifice fly to center to make the score 2-2.

"We played a good game but right now we can use a sloppy game and a win," Astros manager Phil Garner said. "We are not supposed to lose, we are supposes to win."