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Webb puts scoreless innings streak on the line vs. Braves

Aug 17, 2007 - 2:12 PM Arizona (69-53) at Atlanta (64-57) 7:35 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Arizona Diamondbacks ace Brandon Webb takes the mound against the Atlanta Braves looking to extending his 33-inning scoreless streak in the opener of a three-game series on Friday.

Webb (12-8, 2.77 ERA) has been pitching up to his 2006 Cy Young form, having thrown consecutive shutouts. The righthander is a big reason why the Diamondbacks have won 19 of their last 24 games and hold a three-game lead over the San Diego Padres (65-55) in the National League West.

Webb threw a five-hitter in a 1-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Saturday and hasn't allowed a run since the sixth inning of a 6-2 loss to Chicago on July 20. However, as good as Webb has been, he is still 26 innings shy of Orel Hershiser's record streak of 59 scoreless inning set in 1988.

Rookies Chris Young and Mark Reynolds each homered as Arizona scored all of its runs in the first three innings and held on for a 5-4 victory over the Florida Marlins on Thursday to post their eighth straight series win.

Lance Cormier (0-2, 13.50) gets the ball Friday for the Braves (64-57), who trail the New York Mets (67-53) by 3 1/2 games in the National League East. A former Diamondback, Cormier was reached for four runs in four-plus innings, but received a no-decision in a 7-5 win over Philadelphia on Saturday.

Atlanta has won seven of its last 11 games but dropped a 9-3 decision to the San Francisco Giants in the finale of a three-game series Thursday.