PHOENIX, May 18 (UPI) -- Brandon Webb and the Arizona Diamondbacks ended their three-game losing streak in a big way Sunday with an 8-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Diamondbacks, who have never been swept at home by the Pirates in a series of more than two games, split their six-game season series with Pittsburgh. It was Arizona's worst performance ever in the series.
Webb (2-1) got his first win since April 27, when he made his first major league start against the New York Mets. In 7 2/3 innings, Webb allowed three runs and eight hits with six strikeouts and three walks.
The Pirates got off to a fast start as leadoff man Kenny Lofton extended his hitting streak to a career-best 18 games with a double, advanced to third on a bunt and scored on a groundout by Brian Giles.
But Pittsburgh starter Jeff Suppan (4-4) gave the run right back, surrendering a home run to Junior Spivey in the bottom of the inning. Spivey, who had missed the last four games with a strained rib cage, has six homers this season after hitting 16 last year.
In four innings, Suppan allowed five runs and nine hits with two walks and no strikeouts. It was the first time this season that he failed to pitch six innings and also the first time he allowed more than four runs.
Suppan gave the Diamondbacks the lead in the second when Lyle Overbay and Steve Finley had back-to-back one out singles and Overbay scored on a sacrifice fly by Chad Moeller.
Pittsburgh gave up a particularly frustrating run in the third when former Pirate Tony Womack led off with a bunt that Aramis Ramirez tried to pick up in foul territory, but instead grabbed on the third base line to give Womack a single.
Spivey then hit a chopper to third, and Ramirez' throw to second was too late to get Womack. One out later, Womack scored on a clean single by David Dellucci. Overbay added another single to drive home Spivey and put the Diamondbacks up 4-1.
Arizona scored again in the fifth and sixth against Pat Mahomes, but Brian Meadows came out of the Pittsburgh bullpen in the seventh to hold the Diamondbacks scoreless for the first time all day.
The Pirates did rally for three runs in the eighth inning and two in the ninth against Webb, Eddie Oropesa and Mike Koplove. Pittsburgh brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth, but Koplove struck out Craig Wilson to end the game.
