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Webb eyes continued domination of Pirates

Aug 5, 2008 - 12:50 PM PIttsburgh (51-61) at Arizona (58-54) 9:40 pm EDT

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- With the recent additions made by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Arizona Diamondbacks will need to be at their best over the season's final two months - something Brandon Webb has usually been against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Diamondbacks hope Webb can remain perfect against the Pirates when the teams continue their three-game set on Tuesday.

Despite the Dodgers' trades for Manny Ramirez and Casey Blake over the last two weeks, Arizona has managed to keep its slim lead in the National League West.

The Diamondbacks increased their cushion to 1 1/2 games over idle Los Angeles (56-55) in the division after Monday's 13-7 triumph over Pittsburgh in the series opener. Arizona has won 11 of its last 16 games.

Arizona's winning spell figures to continue as long as Webb (15-4, 3.04 ERA) continues to silence the competition.

The sinkerballer, who is 4-0 with a 2.41 ERA in five career starts against the Pirates, yielded a run and six hits with six strikeouts over eight innings in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Dodgers for his fourth straight win.

On the other end of the spectrum is Zach Duke (4-9, 5.27), who will be hoping to avoid a sixth straight loss. The lefthander was roughed up for six runs and eight hits over five frames in Wednesday's 7-4 setback to Colorado.