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Desert Duel Goes To Diamondbacks

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By BOB BAUM, The Associated Press

Published: October 4, 2007

PHOENIX - Brandon Webb won the duel in the desert.

Webb shut down the Chicago Cubs with his superb sinker, and the Arizona Diamondbacks got home runs from two of their kids in a 3-1 victory Wednesday night in their NL playoff opener.

Stephen Drew homered in the fourth off Chicago ace Carlos Zambrano, who was pulled after six innings and only 85 pitches.

Right after he left, Mark Reynolds homered on the fourth pitch from reliever Carlos Marmol to break a 1-all tie in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Conor Jackson added a sacrifice fly, and the Diamondbacks got two scoreless innings from their strong bullpen.

Webb, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner, allowed four hits and struck out nine in seven outstanding innings in his postseason debut. He walked three and hit a batter.

Drew's home run was a 432-foot drive into the pavilion high above right-center field. It was Drew's second postseason at-bat; he struck out looking in the first inning.

Chicago loaded the bases in the sixth on Derrek Lee's leadoff single and two-out walks to Mark DeRosa and Geovany Soto. The Cubs tied it at 1 when Ryan Theriot hit a chopper over third baseman Reynolds' head, and Drew fielded it too late to make a throw. Still, Drew saved a run by even getting to the ball.

Webb then struck out Zambrano, who had doubled earlier.

With the Chase Field roof open on a 91-degree night, hordes of blue-clad Cubs fans and red-shirted Diamondbacks followers traded chants.

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