Webb leads league with 19th victory
It was a career night all around for Brandon Webb - the most victories he's ever racked up in a season, plus the hardest shot he's ever absorbed in the majors.
Webb pitched seven shutout innings for his career-high and major league-leading 19th victory last night in the Arizona Diamondbacks' 4-1 win over the San Diego Padres in Phoenix.
He was also hit by a sharp comebacker from Kevin Kouzmanoff in the sixth. The ball ricocheted off Webb's chest but he picked it up and flipped it to Tony Clark to end the inning.
"This is the worst one, for sure," Webb said, describing the discomfort. "It got me pretty square, then I had to go toward first base but I had to get the out. As bad as it hurt, I just went after it and was able to make the play."
Arizona manager Bob Melvin said there was no cause for concern, not after trainers found no injury.
It was the sixth straight winning start for Webb (19-4), giving him eight wins in his last 11 starts. He allowed three hits with eight strikeouts, both tying season bests, as the Diamondbacks completed a three-game sweep.
"I've got a lot of confidence, especially with the guys hitting out there and playing defense behind me the way they are," Webb said. "I've been able to get down in the zone, low, and get a lot of ground balls and strikeouts."
Twins 2, Angels 1 - Nick Punto tripled and scored on a single by rookie Denard Span in the 12th inning, helping visiting Minnesota pull within a half-game of the AL Central lead.
The game ended on a sour note for former Twins Gold Glove center fielder Torii Hunter, who missed catching Punto's drive by inches on a leaping attempt in front of the 18-foot wall in right-center. One out later, Justin Speier (1-7) gave up Span's hit inside third base. The Angels' Garret Anderson was 0 for 5, ending his 23-game hitting streak.
White Sox 10, Royals 3 - Cleveland lefthander Cliff Lee recorded his AL-best 18th victory and won his seventh straight decision as the host Indians beat Kansas City.
Lee, the Cy Young award front-runner, allowed three runs - two earned - and six hits in seven innings. He struck out seven and induced four double plays. Lee leads the AL in wins, winning percentage (.900), and ERA (2.43). Grady Sizemore had a career-high seven RBIs.
Mets 5, Braves 4 - Carlos Delgado tied his career high with five hits, the last a run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth for New York.
Dodgers 3, Rockies 1 - Derek Lowe (10-10) cooled off Colorado by allowing one run in 6 1/3 innings, James Loney homered and had two RBIs, and host Los Angeles salvaged the finale of a three-game series.
Cubs 3, Reds 2 - Carlos Zambrano, collecting his first win since July 29, earned his 13th victory on the fourth try and homered to lift host Chicago.
Nationals 4, Phillies 3 - Austin Kearns hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth and visiting Washington snapped a 12-game losing streak as Philadelphia blew an eighth-inning lead for the third time in nine days.
Blue Jays 14, Yankees 3 - Roy Halladay (15-9) beat New York for the third straight time, Marco Scutaro hit a three-run homer, and host Toronto handed the Yankees their worst loss of the season.
Giants 4, Marlins 3 - Emmanuel Burriss scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the ninth, lifting host San Francisco.
Athletics 2, Mariners 0 - Emil Brown homered and Greg Smith allowed four hits over six innings for his first win since June for visiting Oakland. 