Arizona (20-9, +10 units) has the best record in the majors in large part because of its strong starting pitching, which leads the majors with 17 wins and ranks near the top of the NL with a 3.87 ERA and 137 strikeouts thanks to strong first months from Dan Haren, Micah Owings and Randy Johnson.

Webb (6-0, 1.98 ERA), though, has been the most impressive of the group, winning each of his first six starts to become the first Arizona player to do so since Johnson in 2002 during his first stint with the team. With a win over the Mets (15-12, -0.5 units), Webb can match the franchise record set by Johnson in 2000. The Snakes hurler is 17-5 in the first half of the season over the last two years. (D-Backs Record)

Arizona’s productive offense hasn’t hurt Webb’s cause. The right-hander is near the top of the league in run support average at 6.59. He didn’t get that much help in his last outing - a duel with reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy - but Webb held San Diego to one unearned run and five hits in six innings of a 2-1 victory. Arizona is 6-1 when its ace has five days rest.

Webb has a 2.26 ERA in nine career starts against the Mets, but he’s just 2-6 in those games. He had dropped six consecutive decisions against them until snapping the skid with a 5-1 victory on June 1 of last season.

It could be a challenge to get another victory against a New York team that clicked offensively in a 7-2 victory in the series opener on Friday night. With last night’s win; New York has now won eight of nine in the desert. The Mets’ top three hitters - Jose Reyes, Ryan Church and David Wright - combined to go 9-for-14 with two home runs, five RBIs and six runs scored. Reyes has gone 7-for-12 with four walks in his last three games to raise his batting average from .237 to .275 and his on-base percentage from .272 to .328. “That’s how you’re supposed to play baseball,” Reyes said. “People tell me, when you’re on base something good is going to happen for this team. So I try to get on base.”

The Mets welcomed back outfielder Moises Alou, who made his season debut after missing the first month while recovering from offseason hernia surgery. He was 1-for-3 with one RBI. “I know that just my presence is going to help this team a lot,” Alou told the Mets’ official Web site.

 

“Besides my presence, I know that I’m going to have a good year again. I always have good years, whether it’s 500 at-bats or 400, 300 at-bats. I’m looking forward to it.” Alou is 11-for-23 (.478) with two home runs lifetime against Webb. New York is 11-3 (+11.8 Units) in road games vs. a starting pitcher who is undefeated after five or more starts since 1997.

Mike Pelfrey (2-1, 4.43) will start for the Mets, hoping to bounce back from his first loss of the year. The right-hander gave up five runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-3 defeat against Atlanta last Friday. Pelfrey lost his only previous start against Arizona, yielding three runs and three hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 3-1 defeat on May 6, 2007.

After opening Arizona as -190 home favorites, bettors have pounded the Mets, with Webb now listed as -168 choice, with total at Ov8.5 at Bookmaker.com. Webb and the D-Backs are 27-9 when the total is 7 to 8.5 over the last two seasons, though both have struggled with NL East clubs at Chase Field with 5-12 (-11.7 Units) mark. Arizona is 18-4 revenging a loss vs opponent as a home favorite.

This encounter is part of the Fox Saturday afternoon MLB package and will commence at 3:45 Eastern, with Webb and the Snakes 12-1 UNDER after giving up no earned runs last outing over the last few seasons.

 

 

 

DAN PIERINGER, STATS Writer contributed to this article.