INSIDE PITCH
He did just that on Wednesday in becoming the first pitcher to start this season
6-0 as Arizona beat the Pirates 7-4 at PNC Park.
Brandon Webb tied a season high by allowing 10 hits, and he tied his shortest outing of
the year in going just six innings, but he's won each of his past six starts. He
kept the damage to a minimum and only allowed three runs Wednesday.
"I think in years past, this is a game he doesn't give you six innings and keeps
us in the game," manager Bob Melvin said. "This was probably, for him, as
frustrated as we've seen him this year, but he ends up getting rewarded and
getting a win."
Webb fought out of a base-loaded jam in the third inning, when he struck out
Jason Bay and got Jeromy Burnitz to fly out to end the inning. With the Pirates
threatening again in the fifth, Webb struck out Bay once more to kill a
potential rally.
"He's turned into a fabulous pitcher," said Arizona third baseman Chad Tracy,
who had four hits in the game, tying a career high. "It's fun to watch him
pitch. It's fun to play behind him."
REPLAY: A day after being shut out and held to six hits by the struggling
Pirates, the Diamondbacks vowed their offense would return. It did, as Arizona
pounded out a season-high 16 hits to take a 7-4 victory over the Bucs.
Chad Tracy led the way with a career-high-tying four hits, but the Diamondbacks
also got three hits apiece from Eric Byrnes and Shawn Green, who drove in three
runs.
"I wouldn't say we hit it as hard as we'd like to, but they had some eyes on
them, and that's the way the ball rolls," Tracy said.
NOTES, QUOTES
--3B Chad Tracy collected his fifth career four-hit game and is now batting .333
against left-handed pitching.
--RHP Jose Valverde recorded his 10th save Wednesday and now has 43 in his
career, one shy of tying Gregg Olson for third on the club's all-time list.
--CF Eric Byrnes' first-inning run Wednesday at Pittsburgh was the first
first-inning run scored by the Diamondbacks in their past 13 games, dating back
to April 25.
--2B Orlando Hudson on getting off to a slow start at the plate this season:
"What am I going to do? Kill myself because I wasn't swinging the bat? Look,
I've been there, done that. This isn't my first time. It ain't going to be the
last time. ... I just go to bed every night, say my prayers before I go to
sleep, and say my prayers when I wake up."
--RHP Brandon Lyon has limited left-handed hitters to a .050 batting average (1
for 20) with two walks and three strikeouts.
--Arizona set a season-high with 16 hits in Wednesday's 7-4 win over Pittsburgh,
but the club also set a franchise record by stranding 16 baserunners.
BY THE NUMBERS: 34 -- Number of games played against non-division foes by the
Diamondbacks during a current 37-game stretch that began May 3 and ends June 13.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I think we'll probably give him a little time, maybe at least
until he gets to coach-pitch or tee ball. But the variables are there, so it
wouldn't surprise me down the road if the kid is playing baseball." -- Manager
Bob Melvin on Ace Daigle, the newborn son of Diamondbacks reliever Casey Daigle
and his wife, U.S. Olympic softball pitcher Jennie Finch.
ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
LHP Terry Mulholland went on the 15-day disabled list April 12 with inflammation
in his left elbow. He is expected to start an injury-rehab assignment in the
next week.
RHP Russ Ortiz went on the 15-day disabled list May 2 with a right calf strain.
He had already been dropped from the rotation because of poor production.
SS Craig Counsell didn't play Sunday (May 7) due to back stiffness, but was back
in the lineup Tuesday (May 9).