D'backs confident with Webb in charge
PHOENIX -- Don't ask the Arizona Diamondbacks how the rest of the National League division series is going to play out. They haven't a clue.
But after edging the Cubs 3-1 in Game 1 Wednesday night at Chase Field, the Diamondbacks said they expected to win.
Yes, they are a young team, and four rookies were in the starting lineup. But with defending Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb taking the ball, Arizona had a surplus of confidence.
"Anytime Brandon Webb takes the mound for us, we expect to win,'' said Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin. "If we don't, it just deflates you a little bit.''
Webb was outstanding, as was counterpart Carlos Zambrano. And while the Arizona ace often relies on his lethal sinker to pile up wins, he featured nasty curveballs and changeups while limiting the Cubs to 1 run on 4 hits over 7 innings.
After Zambrano led off the third inning with a double, Webb used the off-speed pitches to strike out Alfonso Soriano, Jacque Jones and Derek Lee.
"The off-speed stuff was as good as I've had all year,'' said Webb, who exited with 9 strikeouts. "Zambrano is a great hitter. I knew it was going to be a low-scoring game, so I just had to bear down (after the double).''
Much was made of the Diamondbacks' inexperience, but two of their rookies -- shortstop Stephen Drew and third baseman Mark Reynolds -- delivered huge hits.
In the fourth inning, Drew put Arizona in front with a solo home run off Zambrano. In the seventh, Reynolds snapped the 1-1 tie with a leadoff homer against Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol.
"It's funny,'' Drew said. "We weren't even supposed to be here. But we've been getting timely hitting, great pitching and playing good defense all year.''
Reynolds opened the season at Class AA Mobile.
"I'm usually at home at the end of August watching this on TV,'' Reynolds said. "It's unbelievable to be a part of this.''
While the seasoned play of so many youngsters might come as a surprise to outside observers, the Diamondbacks have been watching it all season.
"We've relied on our younger guys all year, and they've come though for us,'' Melvin said.
That's not to say Melvin was expecting his players to have so much success against Marmol.
"It's always nice to get a couple off a guy that, for the most part, has been unhittable,'' Melvin said. "He's got video-game numbers. When they (Cubs) get to that point in the game, they feel pretty good about it. It's always nice to get to somebody they expect to put up zeros.''
And it was especially nice for the Diamondbacks to get the series opener.
"There was probably more pressure on us than on them,'' Melvin said. "It was the first game at home and we had Brandon on the mound. It was a great win for us.''