Brandon Webb found himself in a very unfamiliar place. He had lost his previous two starts after reeling off nine straight wins to start the 2008 season. His team was also in unfamiliar territory. The team that was considered the best in the bigs for a period to start the year had lost five straight. Both found the remedy for that problem Saturday.
Webb allowed no chance for this team to lose by preventing the Washington Nationals from scoring any runs. He allowed just six hits in nine innings. Webb had no more than two runners on base in an inning, giving up two hits in the sixth and two hit batters in the fifth.
Webb also rung up eight Nationals and did not walk a batter.
Mark Reynolds provided all the offensive punch needed. He hit his first homer, a 459 foot bomb into deep left center in the second inning and put the Diamondbacks ahead for good. He added another in the seventh inning right after Justin Upton went deep as well. Chris Young put the finishing touches on the solo homer barrage adding his own in the eighth inning.
The Diamondbacks had just seven hits in the game, but with four leaving the yard and Webb’s pitching there was little doubt as to the outcome of the game.
Nationals starter Sean Bergmann went all eight innings against the Diamondbacks. He matched Webb’s eight K’s and no walks. The loss dropped him to 1-2.
Lastings Milledge stole two bases for the Nationals for the second straight day.
The game lasted just an hour and 52 minutes.
