That new contract in the works for Brandon Webb might have grown a few digits.
Webb became the first pitcher in three years to win his first eight starts, pitching his 13th career complete game to help the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 8-3, on Thursday. The 2006 NL Cy Young Award winner struck out four and didn't walk a batter in his first complete game of the year. He hit one batter.
"I felt early on I had good stuff, even in the pen," Webb said. "My arm felt great, the best it's probably felt in three games."
The easygoing Webb (8-0) became the first pitcher to win his first eight starts since Jon Garland of the Chicago White Sox in 2005 and the first in the NL since Pedro Martinez for Montreal in 1997, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"Everything has to go your way for these things to work," Webb said. "Guys hitting in situations and making plays. The bullpen has been coming through. Everything has to fall in place and it has whenever I've been out there."
Webb stifled the Phillies on three hits through eight innings before allowing two runs and three hits in the ninth.
Philadelphia's first-inning run was unearned.
Manager Bob Melvin came to the mound after the Phillies scored two runs in the ninth and had a runner on first with one out. With catcher Chris Snyder almost pleading with the manager to leave Webb in, Melvin relented.
"He said 'You've got one batter,"' Webb said. "'I said, all right."'
Geoff Jenkins then lined one off the pitcher's glove that Webb turned in to a game-ending double play.
Webb is one of baseball's biggest bargains, or one of the most underpaid depending on the perspective, but the Diamondbacks are trying to work out a new deal.
He is scheduled to make $5.5 million this season as part of a four-year contract that originally guaranteed him $19.5 million and potentially is worth $27.5 million over five seasons. He is due $6.5 million next year, and the Diamondbacks have an $8.5 million option for 2010 with a $1.5 million buyout.
"We've been talking a little bit and, hopefully, it's not something that drags out too long," Webb said. "We'll get something done."
