INSIDE PITCH
Matched up against one of the best pitchers in baseball, Brandon Webb did not
disappoint.
Webb worked seven scoreless innings against the New York Mets on Wednesday night
in a start against Pedro Martinez, and the only thing that kept him from
pitching longer was the fact that he had thrown consecutive shutouts his past
two games.
"After two complete-game shutouts, 100 pitches in seven innings was all I had
for him," manager Bob Melvin said.
Melvin said he's cognizant of Webb's mounting innings pitched, a category in
which he leads the National League with 89 2/3, and noted that the coaches
monitor Webb closely every game.
Webb said the 25 innings is probably the most he has ever pitched in three
consecutive games, but said he likely could have gone another inning on
Wednesday if Melvin had allowed it.
REPLAY: The Diamondbacks bullpen pitched well on Wednesday night but wasn't
quite good enough against the Mets. Relievers Luis Vizcaino, Brandon Lyon,
Brandon Medders and Jorge Julio each had scoreless outings, but Jason Grimsley,
seeing his first action after a six-day layoff, was touched for the game-winning
run by the Mets in the 13th inning.
NOTES, QUOTES
--RHP Jorge Julio would have been the closer on Wednesday night if a save
situation presented itself, manager Bob Melvin said. Melvin still has yet to
officially declare Julio the closer over the struggling Jose Valverde.
--C Johnny Estrada says it has been fun to watch Brandon Webb pitch recently. "I
just go out there every fifth day and try not to mess him up," Estrada said.
--RHP Russ Ortiz made a rehab start for Triple-A Tucson and allowed one run on
six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two. Ortiz, on the
disabled list with a calf injury, is expected to get at least one more start in
Tucson.
--CF Eric Byrnes' hitting streak reached 14 games with a single in the first
inning on Wednesday night. He was Public Enemy No. 1 during the weekend series
in New York. During the series, he hit three home runs, took an extra-base hit
away from Carlos Delgado with a catch against the wall on Wednesday night, and
displayed his fiery side on a couple of occasions, getting under the skin of
Mets fans, who booed him throughout the series.
--3B Chad Tracy, who has 51 strikeouts in 206 at-bats, wants to cut down on his
strikeouts. "It's unacceptable," he said. Tracy says he's going to start
shortening his swing with two strikes and try to put the ball in play more
regularly because he hates striking out so much.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5 -- The number of shutouts tossed by the Diamondbacks' pitching
staff this season. They had 10 shutouts all last season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It's making my job easy. I can just sit back and watch. I know
he's not going 50-0, but he's on quite the roll." -- Diamondbacks manager Bob
Melvin on the days Brandon Webb is pitching.
ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
LHP Terry Mulholland went on the 15-day disabled list April 12 with inflammation
in his left elbow. He was scheduled to start an injury-rehab assignment with
Triple-A Tucson on May 21.
RHP Russ Ortiz went on the 15-day disabled list May 2 with a right calf strain.
He began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tucson on May 16.
RHP Orlando Hernandez left his start May 16 with a mid-back strain and knee
pain. But he pitched effectively in his May 22 start.
UT Damion Easley was a last-minute scratch because of back spasms on May 24, He
was listed as day-to-day.