azdad1978
Championship!!!!
By Dan Zeiger, Tribune
When Brandon Webb left Tuesday’s contest after eight innings, he could have been forgiven for feeling as if he had been part of — as Barry Bonds would defiantly say — yet another rerun show.
During the 2003 season, the Diamondbacks right-hander turned in many solid performances that, thanks to a punchless lineup, resulted in a loss or no-decision. It appeared as if that might be his fate again, as Webb trailed the Colorado Rockies 2-1 when he was pinch hit for.
However, the D-Backs’ sudden display of timely hitting, something they lacked a year ago, resulted in three eighth-inning runs. Arizona earned a 4-2 win at Bank One Ballpark, and — since he was the pitcher of record when his team took the lead — Webb was the winner.
Just his luck. For a change.
“That was really exciting,” said Webb, who improved to 2-0. “I pitched well but was still down by a run, but it was a terrific feeling watching the team do what it did to put us ahead.”
The hitting hero was shortstop Royce Clayton, who came into Tuesday with a .174 average but earned a vote of confidence from manager Bob Melvin before the game. He rewarded his skipper’s faith with three hits, the last an RBI single that made the score 3-2 in the eighth inning.
Facing sidearmer Ryan Speier, Clayton fouled off three two-strike pitches before sending a ball into left field.
“We pick each other up,” Clayton said. “Guys are pulling for me, and I am pulling for them. That’s what makes a championship club.”
Earlier in the eighth, the D-Backs capitalized on an error to put the tying run in scoring position with one out. Tony Clark — pinch-hitting for Craig Counsell — ripped a double off the center-field wall against submarining southpaw Brian Fuentes.
Though Counsell, a left-handed hitter, has reached base in all eight games this season and has a .500 on-base percentage, Melvin opted for the switch-hitting Clark.
“Let me tell you, it was not easy to pinch-hit for Craig Counsell in that situation,” Melvin said. “But I’ve seen what (Fuentes) has done to our lefties too many times, even when I was here in 2001 and ’02 (as bench coach).”
With a two-run cushion, Brandon Lyon pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his fourth save. But the biggest pitching rewards on Tuesday were saved for Webb, who despite a 3.59 ERA was 7-16 in 2004.
His body language on the mound, however, has been noticeably different from last year. With an improved defense behind him, Webb is confident, daring the opposition to put the ball in play early in the count.
Against the Rockies, Webb relied almost exclusively on his sinker early, and his was frighteningly efficient. He retired the first nine men he faced and threw just 43 pitches in the first five innings. For the game, Webb induced 16 ground-ball outs, four strikeouts and five outs on balls in the air.
“That’s what I’m trying to do, get them to hit it, and that’s what they did,” Webb said. “They swung at the first or second pitch a lot and hit a ground ball. I’ll take that all night.”
The Rockies, who lost their sixth straight, finally got to Webb, thanks to leadoff doubles by catcher J.D. Closser in the sixth and first baseman Todd Helton in the seventh. Both came around to score.
Colorado’s Shawn Chacon — a former closer making his first start since Aug. 16, 2003 — was outstanding, giving up six hits and a run in his six innings of work.
A sacrifice fly by Luis Gonzalez in the first inning was the D-Backs’ only run. Until the eighth, that is.
“We’ve seen it all year,” Melvin said. “These guys will keep battling back. Until the other team gets to 27 outs, we’re going to keep coming.”
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=39488
When Brandon Webb left Tuesday’s contest after eight innings, he could have been forgiven for feeling as if he had been part of — as Barry Bonds would defiantly say — yet another rerun show.
During the 2003 season, the Diamondbacks right-hander turned in many solid performances that, thanks to a punchless lineup, resulted in a loss or no-decision. It appeared as if that might be his fate again, as Webb trailed the Colorado Rockies 2-1 when he was pinch hit for.
However, the D-Backs’ sudden display of timely hitting, something they lacked a year ago, resulted in three eighth-inning runs. Arizona earned a 4-2 win at Bank One Ballpark, and — since he was the pitcher of record when his team took the lead — Webb was the winner.
Just his luck. For a change.
“That was really exciting,” said Webb, who improved to 2-0. “I pitched well but was still down by a run, but it was a terrific feeling watching the team do what it did to put us ahead.”
The hitting hero was shortstop Royce Clayton, who came into Tuesday with a .174 average but earned a vote of confidence from manager Bob Melvin before the game. He rewarded his skipper’s faith with three hits, the last an RBI single that made the score 3-2 in the eighth inning.
Facing sidearmer Ryan Speier, Clayton fouled off three two-strike pitches before sending a ball into left field.
“We pick each other up,” Clayton said. “Guys are pulling for me, and I am pulling for them. That’s what makes a championship club.”
Earlier in the eighth, the D-Backs capitalized on an error to put the tying run in scoring position with one out. Tony Clark — pinch-hitting for Craig Counsell — ripped a double off the center-field wall against submarining southpaw Brian Fuentes.
Though Counsell, a left-handed hitter, has reached base in all eight games this season and has a .500 on-base percentage, Melvin opted for the switch-hitting Clark.
“Let me tell you, it was not easy to pinch-hit for Craig Counsell in that situation,” Melvin said. “But I’ve seen what (Fuentes) has done to our lefties too many times, even when I was here in 2001 and ’02 (as bench coach).”
With a two-run cushion, Brandon Lyon pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his fourth save. But the biggest pitching rewards on Tuesday were saved for Webb, who despite a 3.59 ERA was 7-16 in 2004.
His body language on the mound, however, has been noticeably different from last year. With an improved defense behind him, Webb is confident, daring the opposition to put the ball in play early in the count.
Against the Rockies, Webb relied almost exclusively on his sinker early, and his was frighteningly efficient. He retired the first nine men he faced and threw just 43 pitches in the first five innings. For the game, Webb induced 16 ground-ball outs, four strikeouts and five outs on balls in the air.
“That’s what I’m trying to do, get them to hit it, and that’s what they did,” Webb said. “They swung at the first or second pitch a lot and hit a ground ball. I’ll take that all night.”
The Rockies, who lost their sixth straight, finally got to Webb, thanks to leadoff doubles by catcher J.D. Closser in the sixth and first baseman Todd Helton in the seventh. Both came around to score.
Colorado’s Shawn Chacon — a former closer making his first start since Aug. 16, 2003 — was outstanding, giving up six hits and a run in his six innings of work.
A sacrifice fly by Luis Gonzalez in the first inning was the D-Backs’ only run. Until the eighth, that is.
“We’ve seen it all year,” Melvin said. “These guys will keep battling back. Until the other team gets to 27 outs, we’re going to keep coming.”
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=39488
