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Webb extends his scoreless streak to 24 innings

Aug 6, 2007 - 12:09 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Ace Brandon Webb continues to keep runs off the board.

Webb recorded his first shutout of the season as the Arizona Diamondbacks finished a weekend series sweep over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-0, on Sunday.

The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner yielded just seven hits with four strikeouts to extend his scoreless inning steak to 24 - a span of three games and one frame - and second complete game of the season and 10th career.

"I knew coming into this season that not many pitchers win the Cy Young every year, so I just wanted to pitch my game this year," Webb said.

Webb threw 102 pitches against 34 batters - with 14 of his outs coming on groundballs.

On May 11, Webb limited the Houston Astros to one run and six hits with 10 strikeouts for his first complete game win this season at Minute Maid Park.

"He's (Webb) got it going right now and throwing all of his pitches for strikes," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said. "It was an easy decision for me to let him go out in ninth and finish it up for us."

Prior to the 28-year-old righthander's surge, Webb (11-8) struggled through four outings, going 0-3 with a 4.91 ERA from July 2-20.

"Everything has been falling into place for me lately and I have been throwing good," Webb said. "I just keep going out there and try to put up zeros as long as I can."

The Diamondbacks reached Dodgers starter Brad Penny (13-3) early. In the second inning, 19-year-old rookie Justin Upton laced an RBI double to left and Chris Snyder lofted a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 advantage.

"We know that we have to do the little things against a good pitcher like Penny," Snyder said. "It feels good to come out of here with the sweep and to win five of six games on our road trip."

Conor Jackson delivered a fourth-inning leadoff double and later scored on Mark Reynold's run-scoring single as Arizona created a 3-0 bulge.

The Diamondbacks have won 13 of their last 15 games overall to push their advantage in the NL West to 1 1/2 games ahead of San Diego (60-50).

Penny gave up three runs and six hits in seven frames, dropping consecutive starts for the first time since August 18-23, 2006. The 6-4 righthander fanned five batters.

"I felt good out there," Penny said. "Just made some bad pitches to a couple of guys and they did some damage. I just have to put this behind me and go out and get ready for my next start."