Webb wonderful again as D-Backs top Padres

It's been three years since the National League had a 20-game winner. The way Brandon Webb has torn through opposing lineups this season, that drought could very well end before this month does.

In his latest masterful performance, Webb surrendered only three hits in seven shutout innings Thursday against the San Diego Padres to earn his career-high and major-league-leading 19th win.

"I'm feeling pretty good," said Webb, who will have a chance for victory No. 20 Tuesday at San Diego. "I've got a lot of confidence, especially with the guys out there hitting and playing defense behind me like they are."

The end result for the Diamondbacks was a 4-1 victory at Chase Field, which gave them a three-game sweep of the last-place Padres.

"This was big-time," said Conor Jackson, who was 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. "Now is kind of the time of year where you start looking (at the scoreboard). You start following other teams."

Arizona's sixth win in seven games allowed it to maintain its two-game division lead over Los Angeles, which beat Colorado 3-1 earlier in the day.

Like he has been most every other time he has taken the mound, Webb (19-4) was the driving force behind the victory. The 29-year-old righty matched a season high with eight strikeouts, all swinging, and also induced nine ground-ball outs en route to winning his sixth straight start.

"I've been able to pretty much pound the zone low and get a lot of ground balls and strikeouts when I need it," he said.

The leading contender for the NL Cy Young Award extended his streak of starts without a loss to 11. His last defeat was June 22 at Minnesota.

"There have been about 15 or so outings that have been pretty similar," manager Bob Melvin said. "It's just Brandon being him."

Tony Clark drove in the game's first run with a second-inning sacrifice fly, and Augie Ojeda plated Jackson with a single in the eighth to put the D-Backs up 4-0.

Turning point: Conor Jackson gave the Diamondbacks some breathing room with two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning, which extended their lead to 3-0.
Stat of the game: Of Brandon Webb’s 27 games this season, 21 have been quality starts, most in the majors.
Unsung hero: Jackson was 2-for-4 with two RBIs, his third straight multi-RBI game.
Close call: Webb was hit in his lower left ribcage by a hard liner off the bat of Kevin Kouzmanoff in the sixth inning but remained in the game. Webb said he suffered only a bruise, and he doesn’t expect to miss any time.