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(Sports Network) - Right-hander Brandon Webb can continue an impressive bounce-back from his initial bad stretch of 2008 tonight, when the Arizona Diamondbacks head to Pittsburgh's PNC Park for the first of four straight games with the Pirates.

Webb, who began the year with nine wins in nine starts, dropped two straight road outings on May 21 and May 26 before bouncing back on the month's final day.

At home against Washington, Webb allowed six hits, walked none and struck out eight over nine scoreless innings, going the distance for the second time this season in Arizona's 4-0 defeat of the Nationals on Saturday. That gave the former NL Cy Young Award winner a major league-best 10 victories this season.

A 29-year-old Kentucky native, Webb is 3-0 in four career starts against the Pirates with a 2.70 earned run average in 26 2/3 innings, having walked seven batters and striking out 22.

He is 4-2 with a 2.58 ERA in six road starts in 2008.

Delaware-born right-hander Ian Snell attempts to end a skid for Pittsburgh tonight.

The 26-year-old improved to 2-0 with a 4-3 defeat of Cincinnati on April 12, but is since winless in nine starts, having gone 0-5 with four no decisions.

Snell has come up a loser in his last three outings consecutively, including a 7-4 loss in St. Louis on Sunday in which he allowed eight hits and six runs in four innings.

He is 2-0 lifetime in four starts against the Diamondbacks, with a 2.55 ERA in 24 2/3 innings.

On Thursday in Pittsburgh, Paul Maholm tossed eight strong innings and Jason Bay's RBI triple in the bottom of the fifth provided the difference as the Pirates clipped the Houston Astros, 4-3, in the rubber match of a three-game set.

Maholm (4-5) gave up three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits to record his second straight win.

Jason Michaels clubbed a three-run homer for the Pirates, who have won three of their last four games. Jack Wilson had two hits and scored a run.

Arizona comes in after being swept in three games by Milwaukee, which cruised to a 10-1 rout of the Diamondbacks in Wednesday's series finale. Manny Parra allowed one run in seven strong innings and Gabe Kapler went 4-for-5 to lead the Brewers.

Micah Owings (6-4) only lasted three innings for Arizona and allowed five runs -- four earned -- on eight hits. Chris Burke was 3-for-4 and scored the Diamondbacks' lone run.

Arizona's Edgar Gonzalez was touched for five runs on six hits, including two homers, in three innings of relief.

These two clubs split six games in Pittsburgh last year.