Brandon Webb had a pretty good idea what to expect when the Arizona Diamondbacks faced Jake Peavy and the San Diego Padres.
A couple runs might be all it would take.
“I knew there was not going to be a lot of room for error,” Webb said, “so it makes you focus in even that much more.”
Chris Snyder came through for the dominant Arizona right-hander, overcoming the flu that had sidelined him a day earlier to hit a two-run homer off Peavy in a 2-1 victory on Sunday.
Snyder caught the entire game in unseasonably high 91-degree heat, the hottest game in San Diego in 2 1/2 years. He spent all of Saturday’s game in the clubhouse, alternating between getting sick and receiving treatment.
“I trust him totally,” Webb said about Snyder. “To have him back there just gives me a lot of confidence. He sucked it up and battled for me today, and I appreciate it.”
Snyder had gone hitless in 11 career at-bats against Peavy, and his two-out shot in the second inning on a fastball from the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner was Snyder’s first home run since Sept. 16.
“I’m just glad it went quick and I didn’t really have to do much,” Snyder said. “There wasn’t a whole lot of running, there weren’t any plays at the plate, there weren’t any drag bunts and I didn’t have to block many balls.”
In other NL games Sunday, it was the Los Angeles Dodgers 3, Colorado 2 in 10 innings; the New York Mets 6, Atlanta, 3; Pittsburgh 5, Philadelphia 1; St. Louis 5, Houston 1; Florida 3, Milwaukee 2 in 10 innings; Washington 2, the Chicago Cubs 0; and Cincinnati 10, San Francisco 1.
If Snyder tried to steal the show from Webb and Peavy, it’s only because people have come to expect the two staff aces to be nearly perfect.
Webb (6-0), the 2006 Cy Young winner, allowed just one unearned run and twice escaped bases-loaded jams before leaving after six innings. He became the first six-game winner in the majors and lowered his ERA to 1.98.
Webb also became the first Diamondbacks pitcher to win his first six decisions since Randy Johnson in 2002. Johnson holds the franchise mark by winning seven consecutive decisions to start the 2000 season.
Peavy (3-1) gave up four hits in seven innings, losing at home for the first time in 10 starts and causing his ERA to rise to 2.09. Peavy had gone 6-0 with a 0.68 ERA in that span.
He allowed more runs Sunday than he had in his first three starts this season, when he gave up just one earned run in 24 innings.
“We had a chance to beat the best team in the National League, but I couldn’t do what I needed to,” Peavy said. “I threw the wrong pitch. Unfortunately, that one pitch cost us the ball game.”
Arizona raised its record to a major league-best 18-7 and dropped the Padres 8 1/2 games off their NL West lead. The Diamondbacks also completed a stretch of 22 consecutive games against NL West foes, finishing 17-5.
Webb combined with three relievers on a five-hitter. Brandon Lyon pitched the ninth for his seventh save in nine chances.
“Confidence wise, it sets a tone in our minds,” Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. “But there is a lot of baseball left to be played.”
Dodgers 3, Rockies 2, 10 innings
James Loney singled home the winning run in the 10th inning off Manny Corpas (0-2) to give host Los Angeles its first three-game winning streak under Joe Torre.
Joe Beimel (1-0) got the win, stranding runners at second and third in the top of the 10th when Troy Tulowitzki fouled out to first base.
Mets 6, Braves 3
Carlos Delgado had his first two-homer game in almost a year as host New York pounded Atlanta starter John Smoltz (3-2) in his shaky four-inning outing.
Nelson Figueroa (2-1) went 5 1-3 innings for the Mets and was charged with three runs and seven hits. Billy Wagner pitched the ninth for his sixth save.
Pirates 5, Phillies 1
Paul Maholm (2-2) tossed a two-hitter for his third career complete game, Nate McLouth hit two homers and Pittsburgh avoided a three-game sweep at home.
Brett Myers (2-2) allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings for the Phillies.
Cardinals 5, Astros 1
Troy Glaus hit his first home run with host St. Louis, a 1-1 offering from Brandon Backe (1-3) that capped a four-run fifth inning, and Albert Pujols also went deep.
Kyle Lohse (3-0) went six innings, giving up four hits and one run. Kyle McClellan pitched three perfect innings for his first career save.
Marlins 3, Brewers 2, 10 innings
Wes Helms homered off Seth McClung (1-1) leading off the 10th inning at Milwaukee, his first home run since last Aug. 10 and second RBI of the game.
Matt Lindstrom (1-0) pitched the ninth, allowing a pair of baserunners before striking out Ryan Braun to end the threat. Kevin Gregg worked the 10th for his fourth save in five chances.
Nationals 2, Cubs 0
John Lannan (2-2) pitched four-hit ball for seven innings and Wily Mo Pena and Wil Nieves had back-to-back RBI singles in the second inning for host Washington.
Luis Ayala and Jon Rauch each pitched a hitless inning to complete the shutout. Rauch finished for his fourth save.
Ted Lilly (1-4) gave up two runs and four hits in six innings for Chicago.
Reds 10, Giants 1
Edinson Volquez (4-0) struck out a career-high 10 in seven innings, Brandon Phillips homered twice and visiting Cincinnati roughed up Barry Zito (0-6).
Zito, winless in his first six starts for the first time in his career, gave up eight runs and walked three in only three innings.
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