Diamondbacks take 7-4 nod over Pirates

Pittsburgh is 10-25 on the year and already 3-6 in May.
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Brandon Webb withstood a shaky start to win his sixth in a row, Chad Tracy had four hits and Shawn Green drove in three runs to give the Arizona Diamondbacks a 7-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night.
Webb gave up three runs and 10 hits despite constantly being in trouble over six innings, but worked out of enough jams to improve to 6-0 in eight starts. He has the most victories of any unbeaten pitcher in the majors, never allowing more than three runs in any start during his streak.
Webb also was 6-0 last season before finishing 14-12 for Arizona. He has a 15-7 record in April and May during his career, but is 21-30 in other months.
So far, the Pirates have been bad no matter the day or month -- they fell to 10-25, 3-6 in May, while settling for a two-run first against Webb, then leaving the bases loaded and failing to score in what was shaping up to be a big third inning.
Tied up briefly
The Pirates did tie it briefly at 3 in the sixth on Jose Castillo's two-out RBI double, but Arizona retook the lead -- and made certain Webb got the decision -- on Green's double and Johnny Estrada's run-scoring single in the seventh against Damaso Marte (0-2).
The Diamondbacks pushed the lead to three runs in the eighth against reliever Matt Capps on Green's two-run single following Tracy's fourth hit, a one-out double, an intentional walk to Luis Gonzalez and Capps hitting Conor Jackson with a pitch. Arizona had 16 hits.
Arizona, winning its eighth in 10 games, took a 2-0 lead in the first when Pirates left-hander Paul Maholm allowed five consecutive runners to reach base. Jackson had a run-scoring single ahead of Green's sacrifice fly.
Webb had not allowed more than two runs in any of his three most recent starts, but the Pirates quickly tied it in their half of the first on consecutive singles by Jose Bautista, Nate McLouth and Freddy Sanchez, with Sanchez driving in a run, ahead of Jason Bay's double-play grounder.
Bay, an NL All-Star last year whose average is down to .252, also left runners on base in what became a pivotal third inning. After Bautista, McLouth and Sanchez again singled in succession to load the bases, Bay struck out and Jeromy Burnitz -- whose average has dipped into the .180s -- flew out to center.
Luis Vizcaino pitched a scoreless seventh inning for Arizona before Brandon Lyon gave up Castillo's second RBI double in as many at-bats in the eighth. Jose Valverde pitched the ninth inning for his 10th save in 11 opportunities.
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