azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Dan Zeiger, Tribune
The Chicago Cubs — particularly first baseman Derrek Lee, who fouled off ball after ball in a 13-pitch at-bat that resulted in a walk — made Brandon Webb work hard on Wednesday.
But the Diamondbacks right-hander hung in for 5 1 /3 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs. It was the kind of effort that, last year, he might not have had anything to show for.
But in 2005, it was good enough for a win.
"I had to throw a lot of pitches and had a lot of guys on base," Webb said. "I had to work out of some jams. But overall, I thought it was all right. Too many pitches, though. I need to work on that."
Webb fired 107 pitches on the night, which ended with one out and two on in the sixth inning, and Arizona ahead 7-0. The runs charged to Webb came across when Cubs catcher Michael Barrett belted a three-run home run off reliever Brian Bruney.
Through it all, Webb kept fighting and kept his composure, which was not easy to do during a 2004 season in which he posted a 7-16 record.
"Lee had the long at-bat there, and you had to keep focusing," D-Backs manager Bob Melvin said. "He had to work hard, he really did. We gave him a lead, and he kept his focus. It was good to see."
Webb was expected to benefit most from the DBacks’ defensive upgrades during the offseason.
Arizona added two of the National League’s most reliable fielders, second baseman Craig Counsell and shortstop Royce Clayton, in part so that Webb could pitch to his strengths.
That means throwing a hard sinker to induce ground balls, which Webb could feel confident in being gobbled up and fired to first for an out. That was not always the case last season.
And Webb was eager to test the men behind him on Wednesday at Bank One Ballpark, as nine of the 16 outs he recorded against the Cubs came via groundouts.
"They didn’t hit many balls hard, so I was pleased with that," Webb said.
In the first, third and fourth innings, Webb allowed two Chicago hitters to reach. But then, he reached back, ending two of the frames on grounders.
The third inning ended when Webb fanned Cubs cleanup hitter Aramis Ramirez, getting him way out in front of a curveball.
"I hadn’t used the breaking ball much during the game," Webb said. "So, he hadn’t seen any. I went to one there and got him."
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=39202
The Chicago Cubs — particularly first baseman Derrek Lee, who fouled off ball after ball in a 13-pitch at-bat that resulted in a walk — made Brandon Webb work hard on Wednesday.
But the Diamondbacks right-hander hung in for 5 1 /3 innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs. It was the kind of effort that, last year, he might not have had anything to show for.
But in 2005, it was good enough for a win.
"I had to throw a lot of pitches and had a lot of guys on base," Webb said. "I had to work out of some jams. But overall, I thought it was all right. Too many pitches, though. I need to work on that."
Webb fired 107 pitches on the night, which ended with one out and two on in the sixth inning, and Arizona ahead 7-0. The runs charged to Webb came across when Cubs catcher Michael Barrett belted a three-run home run off reliever Brian Bruney.
Through it all, Webb kept fighting and kept his composure, which was not easy to do during a 2004 season in which he posted a 7-16 record.
"Lee had the long at-bat there, and you had to keep focusing," D-Backs manager Bob Melvin said. "He had to work hard, he really did. We gave him a lead, and he kept his focus. It was good to see."
Webb was expected to benefit most from the DBacks’ defensive upgrades during the offseason.
Arizona added two of the National League’s most reliable fielders, second baseman Craig Counsell and shortstop Royce Clayton, in part so that Webb could pitch to his strengths.
That means throwing a hard sinker to induce ground balls, which Webb could feel confident in being gobbled up and fired to first for an out. That was not always the case last season.
And Webb was eager to test the men behind him on Wednesday at Bank One Ballpark, as nine of the 16 outs he recorded against the Cubs came via groundouts.
"They didn’t hit many balls hard, so I was pleased with that," Webb said.
In the first, third and fourth innings, Webb allowed two Chicago hitters to reach. But then, he reached back, ending two of the frames on grounders.
The third inning ended when Webb fanned Cubs cleanup hitter Aramis Ramirez, getting him way out in front of a curveball.
"I hadn’t used the breaking ball much during the game," Webb said. "So, he hadn’t seen any. I went to one there and got him."
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=39202
.. I am not sold on the guy. we was all over the place last night. After the runs started mounting the pressure came off for him and the cubs bailed him out a few times.
