Published: May 16, 2008 12:56 am            

Webb improves to 9-0

PHOENIX — Backed by Stephen Drew's career-high four hits, Brandon Webb became the major leagues' first nine-game winner when the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Colorado Rockies 8-5 on Thursday night.

Webb (9-0) has won his first nine starts, the most since San Diego's Andy Hawkins won his first 10 in 1985, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Webb has won 11 straight starts dating to last September.

Drew had two doubles, a triple, a single and an RBI as the Diamondbacks improved to a major league-best 26-15, including 20-5 against the weak NL West.

Arizona overcame four errors to complete a three-game sweep. The Diamondbacks are 8-1 against the defending NL champions, with Webb winning three times.

Brandon Lyon pitched out of a base-loaded, no-out jam in the ninth for his 12th save in 14 chances, and his 11th in a row.

The Rockies loaded the bases against Brandon Medders before Lyon came on and gave up an RBI single to Scott Podsednik to make it 8-4. Ryan Spilborghs' sacrifice fly made it 8-5.

Lyon struck out Clint Barmes and retired Matt Holliday on a grounder to third to end it.

Mixing curveballs and changeups with his trademark slider, Webb had the Rockies off stride for most of the night.

Arizona manager Bob Melvin lifted Webb with one out in the eighth after Holliday singled to make it 5-3. Webb, who threw 111 pitches, left to a standing ovation from the Chase Field crowd of 21,447.

Webb allowed three runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out eight, a season high.

Chris Iannetta had an RBI double for the Rockies, who fell a season-high 11 games behind Arizona.

Two of baseball's hotter pitchers faced each other with Chase Field's roof open on a clear, 85-degree evening.

Colorado's Aaron Cook (6-2) was almost as hot as Webb. He had won a franchise-record six straight starts, a streak that began on April 13 at Chase Field.

But Cook struggled from the start, when the Diamondbacks greeted him with consecutive singles by Chris Young, Drew and Orlando Hudson. Young scored on Hudson's hit.

Cook stranded runners in scoring position in the second, third and fourth. The Diamondbacks finally got to him in the fifth.

Young led off with a double and scored on Drew's double. Hudson walked, and one out later, Snyder hit an 0-2 pitch 412 feet into the left field seats to give the Diamondbacks a 5-0 lead.

Cook pitched five innings, his shortest outing, and allowed a season-high five runs on 10 hits. He walked four and struck out six.

Colorado made it 5-1 in the seventh when Brad Hawpe singled and scored on Iannetta's double.

The Rockies pulled within 5-3 in the eighth on Barmes' RBI groundout and Holliday's single.

Arizona answered with three in the eighth on Hudson's single and a two-run triple by Justin Upton.

Notes: Melvin benched LF Eric Byrnes, who is hitting .214 and in a 6-for-62 slump. Arizona 1B Conor Jackson, 0-for-12 lifetime against Cook, was also out of the starting lineup. ... Colorado 3B Garrett Atkins is riding a 12-game hitting streak, but manager Clint Hurdle gave him the night off. Arkins is 6-for-34 (.176) lifetime against Webb.

        

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