The Diamondbacks have gotten headlines for their hot hitting during their 19-7 start, but they also have benefited from strong pitching while running up the best record in the major leagues.
The Diamondbacks lead the majors with a 3.04 ERA and with 18 quality starts despite playing in one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the N.L. Righty Brandon Webb (6-0) leads the major leagues in victories and in quality starts (six), while righty Dan Haren (4-1) has five quality starts and righty Micah Owings (4-0) has four. Lefty Randy Johnson had a quality start in his last appearance Friday.
"It's unbelievable," Webb said. "Everybody in the rotation pushes each other and wants to do what the last guy just accomplished. I think it's fun to have somebody you're having a competition with. I think it makes you do better."
The bullpen has converted its last eight save opportunities, and righty closer Brandon Lyon has made 10 straight scoreless appearances.
"I was telling Danny the other day, it's tough to get a win off six innings," Webb said, "but with our bullpen, you can look to do that pretty much every time. The back of our bullpen has been outstanding. This is the most fun team I've ever played on, for sure."
Webb has two victories in games he left after six innings, most recently Sunday, while Haren has done it three times and Owings once. Haren's pitch count was limited early in the season because of an upper respiratory illness that has been going through the clubhouse.
DIAMONDBACKS 5, ASTROS 3: Dan Haren won his fourth game of the season and had an RBI double, his second double of the season, as the Diamondbacks improved to 19-7, the best in the majors. Mark Reynolds had a two-run double to run his RBI total to 24, second in the NL, and stole his third base of the season after not getting a steal in 110 games in his rookie year. Brandon Lyon pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his eighth save and has retired 15 straight batters.
