Webb moves to 9-0 as D-Backs top Rockies

Every season now, Brandon Webb finds new, select company to join. Webb won his ninth start in as many outings Thursday, an 8-5 victory over Colorado, becoming the first pitcher since San Diego’s Andy Hawkins in 1985 to win that many to start a season. Hawkins was 10-0.

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“Never heard of him,” Webb, who was 6 years old at the time, said with a grin.

Last year, Webb threw 42 consecutive scoreless innings, tying for the 12th longest streak in history.

Webb struck out a season-high eight, seven with change-ups, and threw first-pitch strikes to 16 of the first 18 batters he faced while winning his 11th straight regular-season start.

Behind Stephen Drew’s first career four-hit game and Chris Snyder’s three-run home run, the D-Backs (26-15) beat Colorado for the eighth time in nine games this season.

The Rockies had only two hits until scoring off Webb in the seventh, then added two more runs in the eighth when the D-Backs committed two of their season-high four errors.

“I was real aggressive with the fastball and used a lot of change-ups to get strikeouts,” Webb said.

Webb also mixed in a few cut fastballs to left-handed hitters Todd Helton and Brad Hawpe, a .348 career hitter against Webb, who hit three home runs against him last season.

“The change-up he was throwing today was unbelievable. Diving into the dirt,” closer Brandon Lyon said.

Lyon (12 saves) converted his 11th consecutive save opportunity after the Rockies loaded the bases off Brandon Medders with the first three batters of the ninth.

Lyon retired Matt Holliday, the tying run at the plate, for the final out, getting Holliday to ground an inside fastball to third baseman Mark Reynolds.

Holliday hit an outside fastball for a ninth-inning homer to right field April 6, costing Lyon a save. It is the last run Lyon has given up.

“As easily as he can hit it out to left field, he can hit it out to right,” Snyder said.

“Now we’re mixing it up on him, moving it in and out,” Lyon explained.

SNAKE BITES

Turning point: Chris Snyder hit a 412-foot, three-run home run to cap a four-run fifth inning and give the Diamondbacks a 5-0 lead.
Stat of the game: Stephen Drew had his first career four-hit game — a triple, two doubles and a single.
Unsung hero: Doug Slaten retired Todd Helton, the tying run at the plate, on a fly to center field for the second out in the eighth inning. Helton is 1-for-9 against Slaten.
No ringers allowed: During his nine-game winning streak, Webb has beaten Aaron Harang, Jeff Francis (twice), Barry Zito (twice), Jake Peavy, Mike Pelfrey, Brett Myers and now Aaron Cook. Harang, Francis, Peavy and Myers were their team’s opening day starters, and Cook is arguably the Rockies’ best pitcher now.