Webb feels right at home as D-Backs win opener

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Combining strong pitching from Brandon Webb and the bullpen with hitting that was timely if not plentiful, the D-Backs began the 2008 season with a formulaic, 4-2 victory over Cincinnati in the rain-delayed season opener for both on Monday.

Webb and his relievers gave up three hits and the D-Backs had that many bases-empty home runs — by Chris Young, Eric Byrnes and Jeff Salazar.

The first two homers pushed the D-Backs’ lead to 3-0 in the third, and the pitching took it from there.

“Similar to the way we drew it up last year — big hits, albeit not too many of them, but impactful, every one of them,” manager Bob Melvin said.

“That was a typical Diamondbacks win tonight,” Young said.

“We didn’t get many hits, but we got the big ones. With ‘Webby’ out there, that’s all you need sometimes.”

Webb, pitching two hours from his hometown of Ashland, Ky., won for the first time in three opening day starts while going six innings.

He gave up singles to Javier Valentin and opposing starter Aaron Harang and a hydroplaned triple to Brandon Phillips, who drove in one run and scored another to bring the Reds within 3-2 in the fourth.

After Ken Griffey Jr. walked in the fourth inning, Phillips’ line drive skidded beyond center fielder Young to the fence for an RBI. Phillips scored on a grounder, but that was as close as the Reds got.

“This is more special here because the opening day is so special here in Cincinnati,” said Webb, who struck out six, two in the first inning with an 80-mph change-up for the final strike.

Only one of Cincinnati’s last 21 batters got a hit, and that was Harang’s single behind second base that Orlando Hudson fielded, nearly throwing Harang out at first.

The D-Backs’ reconstituted bullpen — setup men Chad Qualls and Tony Pena and closer Brandon Lyon — took it from there.

Qualls threw a hitless seventh, Pena a hitless eighth and Lyon a hitless ninth.

Lyon, replacing Jose Valverde as the closer, did not let Cincinnati put a ball in fair territory.

Lyon struck out Adam Dunn on a 3-2 fastball and Edwin Encarnacion on an 0-2 curve before getting Scott Hatteburg to foul out.

The D-Backs led the major leagues with 32 one-run victories and had another 15 victories by two runs a year ago, when they led the NL in saves and save percentage.

“That’s the way we tried to set up our ball club,” Lyon said.

“We don’t score a ton of runs. But four runs with our pitching staff, I think we are going to win games.”

Webb had an 8.50 ERA in six spring training starts but said he was not too concerned, and that is the way it played out.

“I don’t know that I’ve really dominated spring training. Most of it is just getting your work in and your pitch count up,” he said.

“It can all change in one day, and it usually does.”