Free Live Odds - Scores and Odds - Sports News - Sports Information - Live Scores - Sports Statistics - Sports Articles - Sports Standings - Live Scoreboard - Live Odds - Sporting Events - Live Lines

Webb goes for eighth straight win in finale with Phillies

Thu 8th, May 2008

(Sports Network) - Mired in a bit of a tailspin at the moment, the Arizona Diamondbacks will turn to their stopper in hopes of earning a draw of a four- game series with the visiting Philadelphia Phillies this afternoon at Turner Field.

Brandon Webb has made seven starts for the National League West-leading Diamondbacks this season, and emerged as the winning pitcher in every one of those outings. The All-Star hurler has also worked at least six innings in all seven starts and yielded two runs or less on all but two occasions so far this year.

The sinker specialist was touched for four runs -- three of which came on a Carlos Delgado homer -- in six innings of work against the New York Mets on Saturday, but received plenty of offensive support in a 10-4 Arizona victory.

Excellent beginnings to a season are nothing new for Webb. He ripped off eight consecutive winning decisions to begin the 2006 campaign, the year the Kentucky product earned the NL's Cy Young Award, and started off the 2005 season with a 6-0 record. For his career, Webb has amassed a splendid 29-10 overall mark during the months of March, April and May.

Webb is just 2-3 lifetime against Philadelphia, however, with a 3.99 earned run average over the course of eight starts. He has not faced the Phillies since being tagged for six runs (4 earned) over six innings in a loss at Citizens Bank Park on July 26, 2006.

He'll be taking the mound for an Arizona squad that has lost four of its last six games and two of its three matchups with the surging Phillies in this set. In Wednesday's encounter between these teams, Chase Utley came through with a tiebreaking RBI single in the top of the eighth inning that lifted Philadelphia to a 5-4 victory.

The Phillies trailed 4-3 heading into the eighth, but Shane Victorino reached base on a passed-ball strikeout and then came around to score on Eric Bruntlett's double to tie the score. Utley followed with a base hit off Chad Qualls (0-3) that brought home Bruntlett.

Pedro Feliz had a two-run homer for Philadelphia, which won for the ninth time in 13 games, in the seventh inning that knotted the contest at 3-3. However, Conor Jackson put Arizona back on top with an RBI double in the bottom of the frame.

Jackson, who ended 2-for-3 with two RBI on the evening, had to leave the game in the eighth inning after colliding with Victorino as the Phillies' outfielder was sprinting to first base. The Arizona first baseman will likely sit out today's tilt as a precautionary measure.

J.C. Romero (3-0) notched the win for the Phillies after getting the final two outs of the seventh inning, while Brad Lidge tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to register his eighth save in as many opportunities.

Brett Myers will oppose Webb in today's series finale and hopes to build off a very encouraging last start.

Against San Francisco on Saturday, the previously-struggling Myers allowed just two runs over seven innings and struck out a season-high 10 batters. The competitive right-hander still wound up with a no decision in a game the Giants won in 10 innings by a 3-2 score.

Myers is winless (0-1) in his last three starts and has produced a lackluster 5.68 ERA over that span. Home runs have been the hard-thrower's biggest problem, as Myers has surrendered 11 long balls in 44 innings this season.

The former first-round pick is 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA in five games against Arizona, four of which have been starts. In three appearances (2 starts) at Chase Field, Myers is 1-0 with a strong 2.77 ERA.

Arizona dominated Philadelphia last year, winning five of the six meetings.

Where the players come to play and STAY.

Sports Information you need to win BIG.

Sports Contests – Think you know the game?

Poker Promotion

Find NC State basketball tickets at TickCo and watch the college basketball season wrap up with Final Four tickets!

Contact Us | Help | Site Map| Sport Links

Sportsbook Directory | Casinos Directory | Poker Room Directory | Racebook Directory | Partners Directory