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Lannan Can't Match Webb Gem
The Nationals' John Lannan pitched seven innings and allowed four hits and one run, which came in the fourth inning.
(By Rick Scuteri -- Associated Press)
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Somehow, with Webb on the mound, that one run felt like three touchdowns. The Nationals' best-hit ball came off the bat of Ryan Church in the fourth, a double to the left-center field gap. But they never again placed a runner in scoring position, and 21 of the 27 outs Webb recorded were either grounders or strikeouts.
Hello, sinker.
"It is deceiving," said third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who went 0 for 4. "It looks like a good pitch to hit, and then you ground out to the shortstop."
When they were growing up in Kentucky, Nationals right fielder Austin Kearns faced Webb. That was before he threw the sinker, relying instead on a four-seam fastball and a curve. Kearns, then, was a first-round pick, and Webb went to the University of Kentucky.
"He was way, way different," Kearns said.
Right now, he is nearly unhittable. As the Diamondbacks have won 17 of their last 20, Webb has been the anchor. In that stretch, he has won each of his four starts and hasn't allowed a run, walking six and striking out 29.
"He's got a few things going for him," Kearns said.
The Nationals, too, might have something going for themselves with Lannan. Four starts in, he has a 3.00 ERA. Not Webb, but not bad.
