D'backs may start Webb on 3 days rest

PHOENIX -- Bob Melvin refused to rule out pulling a Zambrano on Sunday by starting Brandon Webb on three days rest, but he may be engaging in a little gamesmanship.

"I'm with (Micah) Owings right now," said Melvin about his Game 4 starter.

"Anything can change. I'm not prepared to go there yet."

At the same time, Melvin would go against character and past performance by turning Sunday to Webb, Wednesday's winner.

Webb has note made any of his 164 major league starts on fewer than four days" rest, and already has 243 1/3 innings this season. Owings has thrown 15 1/3 scoreless innings in his previous two starts.

Melvin pinch-hit for Webb after he threw 89 pitches in seven innings Wednesday, but said it had nothing to do with saving pitches while looking toward the future.

The opportunity to add another run was too tempting to avoid, Melvin said, and pinch-hitter Conor Jackson responded with a sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead in the last of the seventh.

"It there is man on first and two outs, 'Webby' is hitting," Melvin said.

Cubs Game 1 starter Carlos Zambrano, who is to start on three days' rest Sunday, was pulled after six innings and 85 pitches Wednesday in a 1-1 game that reliever Carlos Marmol lost by giving up two runs in the seventh.

Water gate: If the dirt in front of home plate during Game 1 looked a little off-color, there was a reason.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he believed the D-backs intentionally over-watered the area in front of the plate to help deaden ground balls that Webb's sinker might bring.

"Home plate, they really wetted it down," Piniella said.

"We had them put down that 'Quick Dry'," a product that is designed to absorb moisture and is used to dry infields, usually after rain.

An extra coating was applied before Game 2, too.

Short hops: Stephen Drew finally had a chance to talk to his brother J.D. on Thursday, J.D.'s day off after his Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in Game 1 of the AL division series against the Angels. "You know, he's been through it, and when you've got an older brother that you can talk to, it's a big benefit," Drew said.

Melvin went back to his right-handed hitting platoon in Game 2, with Conor Jackson playing first base and hitting cleanup and Justin Upton playing right field.

Original D-backs Matt Williams and Jay Bell threw out the ceremonial first pitches before Game 2.