Baseball Guru
06-10-2006, 09:23 PM
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=260610129
Game Info: 9:40 pm EDT Sat Jun 10, 2006
TV: SNY, KTVK
Currently: Phoenix, AZ Temp: 102° F
By ANDY LEFKOWITZ, STATS Editor
At the end of May, Brandon Webb faced the Mets looking to win his ninth straight decision. Nearly two weeks later, nothing has changed for NL's ERA leader.
Webb now will try to become the league's second nine-game winner and earn his first career home victory over New York when the suddenly struggling Arizona Diamondbacks continue their four-game series against the Mets at Chase Field on Saturday.
Arizona (34-27) has dropped a season-high five in a row to fall into a tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West lead. New York (37-23), meanwhile, owns the league's best record and is looking for its fourth straight victory.
Webb (8-0, 2.14 ERA) had won eight consecutive starts before facing New York at Shea Stadium on May 31 in a matchup against Pedro Martinez. Webb scattered four hits over seven innings -- increasing his shutout streak to 25 innings -- struck out five and walked one, but did not get a decision as the Mets defeated the Diamondbacks 1-0 on Endy Chavez's RBI single in the 13th inning.
Webb faced Philadelphia at home on Tuesday and extended his shutout string to a club-record 30 innings before the Phillies' Chase Utley scored on a double play in the sixth. The right-hander finished by giving up three runs and seven hits with a season-high three walks and seven strikeouts over seven innings, but again failed to record a decision in a 4-3 loss.
"It was a good run, fun while it lasted," Webb said. "I knew I wasn't going to go forever without giving one up."
New York's Tom Glavine became the NL's first nine-game winner with a victory over the Dodgers on Wednesday.
Webb is 0-3 with a 3.92 ERA in three career home starts against the Mets.
Cuban-born rookie Alay Soler (1-1, 5.00) will try to build off his first major league win when he takes the mound for New York. The right-hander had the longest and best outing of his brief career, limiting the Dodgers to a run and six hits with a walk and seven strikeouts through seven innings of a 4-1 win on Monday.
"I was more relaxed today, especially when ... it was 3-0 in the first inning," Soler said through a translator. "My concentration was much better and I had a better rhythm than the two times before. I was more focused and thinking about every pitch."
Soler, who was recalled from Double-A Binghamton on May 22, faced Arizona eight days later in New York and was tagged with his first career loss. In five innings of a 7-2 defeat, Soler allowed seven runs and eight hits, including two homers.
After winning the series opener 7-1, New York got off to another quick start Friday by scoring five times in the first three innings of a 10-6 win.
Carlos Beltran hit the first of his two homers in the game and David Wright added a solo shot during a four-run first. Carlos Delgado had a solo homer in the third and a two-run shot in the eighth.
"We're capable of that kind of offense," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "I still think we haven't even scratched the surface on offense yet."
Arizona has been outscored 15-4 in the first three innings during its skid.
"Whatever has happened the last five games, they're not that good and we're not that bad," said pitcher Miguel Batista. "We didn't get to be in first place for the last month and a half by going to church and kneeling. It's by getting our job done on the field."
Game Info: 9:40 pm EDT Sat Jun 10, 2006
TV: SNY, KTVK
Currently: Phoenix, AZ Temp: 102° F
By ANDY LEFKOWITZ, STATS Editor
At the end of May, Brandon Webb faced the Mets looking to win his ninth straight decision. Nearly two weeks later, nothing has changed for NL's ERA leader.
Webb now will try to become the league's second nine-game winner and earn his first career home victory over New York when the suddenly struggling Arizona Diamondbacks continue their four-game series against the Mets at Chase Field on Saturday.
Arizona (34-27) has dropped a season-high five in a row to fall into a tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West lead. New York (37-23), meanwhile, owns the league's best record and is looking for its fourth straight victory.
Webb (8-0, 2.14 ERA) had won eight consecutive starts before facing New York at Shea Stadium on May 31 in a matchup against Pedro Martinez. Webb scattered four hits over seven innings -- increasing his shutout streak to 25 innings -- struck out five and walked one, but did not get a decision as the Mets defeated the Diamondbacks 1-0 on Endy Chavez's RBI single in the 13th inning.
Webb faced Philadelphia at home on Tuesday and extended his shutout string to a club-record 30 innings before the Phillies' Chase Utley scored on a double play in the sixth. The right-hander finished by giving up three runs and seven hits with a season-high three walks and seven strikeouts over seven innings, but again failed to record a decision in a 4-3 loss.
"It was a good run, fun while it lasted," Webb said. "I knew I wasn't going to go forever without giving one up."
New York's Tom Glavine became the NL's first nine-game winner with a victory over the Dodgers on Wednesday.
Webb is 0-3 with a 3.92 ERA in three career home starts against the Mets.
Cuban-born rookie Alay Soler (1-1, 5.00) will try to build off his first major league win when he takes the mound for New York. The right-hander had the longest and best outing of his brief career, limiting the Dodgers to a run and six hits with a walk and seven strikeouts through seven innings of a 4-1 win on Monday.
"I was more relaxed today, especially when ... it was 3-0 in the first inning," Soler said through a translator. "My concentration was much better and I had a better rhythm than the two times before. I was more focused and thinking about every pitch."
Soler, who was recalled from Double-A Binghamton on May 22, faced Arizona eight days later in New York and was tagged with his first career loss. In five innings of a 7-2 defeat, Soler allowed seven runs and eight hits, including two homers.
After winning the series opener 7-1, New York got off to another quick start Friday by scoring five times in the first three innings of a 10-6 win.
Carlos Beltran hit the first of his two homers in the game and David Wright added a solo shot during a four-run first. Carlos Delgado had a solo homer in the third and a two-run shot in the eighth.
"We're capable of that kind of offense," Mets manager Willie Randolph said. "I still think we haven't even scratched the surface on offense yet."
Arizona has been outscored 15-4 in the first three innings during its skid.
"Whatever has happened the last five games, they're not that good and we're not that bad," said pitcher Miguel Batista. "We didn't get to be in first place for the last month and a half by going to church and kneeling. It's by getting our job done on the field."