Brandon Webb is 8-0!

Normally, I’m a fan of offense, but in this age of lefty specialists, set up men, and closers, I can also appreciate a complete game shut-out. And that’s just what we got from Diamondbacks’ ace Brandon Webb, the Ashland, KY native and U of K alum who blanked the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 in 2 hours and 12 minutes in front of HIS home crowd at Great America Park.

Reds starter Eric Milton was none too shabby either, walking none and striking out nine while allowing only one run in eight innings of work.

Did I hear somebody say that Great America Park was a homer heaven?

This game featured only one homer: Shawn Green hit his fourth of the year off Reds reliever Todd Coffey in the 9th. It was a 2-run big fly that drove in Conor Jackson.

A tip of the cap to future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey, Jr., who robbed Johnny Estrada of a homer in the 7th.

It was a spectacularly bad night for Chad Tracy, who got the Golden Sombrero (4 K’s) and a throwing error.

Eric Byrnes hit a single in the sixth that meant nothing in terms of the score. It did run his hitting streak to 10 games. But he went only 1-4 (with 1 K) so his batting average lost a couple of points. He’s down to .324. This was a disappointment in light of lefty Milton’s reputation as a fly ball pitcher, and Cincy’s reputation of having a hitter-friendly park. But Milton was dominating in this game, leaving with the score only 1-0 against him. I hate to say this, but I don’t know if any D’Backs pitcher other than Brandon Webb could have beaten Milton tonight. Good thing Webby was starting and that he brought his "A" game.

Congrats to Derek Jeter of the Yankees for his 2,000th career hit, even if it was a bunt single against the KC Royals. (This is an example of how baseball differs from fishing; in baseball, you don’t have to throw back the small fry).

K.R.