Brandon Webb ... Strikes A Chord

IN JULY reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Brandon Webb, 28, lost three consecutive decisions to fall to 8--8. His response? Forty-two straight scoreless innings and six straight wins. With a 16--10 record and a 2.99 ERA through Sunday, the sinkerballing Webb, a self-described "country boy" from Ashland, Ky., is in the hunt for another Cy Young—and had the Diamondbacks leading the NL West.

On winning last year's Cy Young Award
I was at home in the garage cleaning up, when one of the baseball writers called. My wife [Alicia] answered, and we were yelling and screaming. Then we got another call and were told that we had to roll out to Arizona in two hours for press conferences. It was a hassle, but you know, I wouldn't mind doing it again.

His scoreless streak
There was definitely a lot of luck involved. When the ball was hit hard, it was always hit at somebody, and our defense was incredible. The guys were like, "I'm feeling some pressure. I don't want to screw this up." And so they were bearing down on every pitch.

The streak ending
In some ways I was relieved. I don't like the limelight. Things are back to normal now.

On playing guitar, which he does in the clubhouse before starts
In high school I picked up this video that showed you where to put your fingers, showed you different chords. I studied that thing, man. The songs were ridiculous, like When the Saints Go Marching In. To this day, when I hear that, I picture the guy in that video.

On pitching a 2006 spring training game hours after daughter, Reagan, his only child, was born
She came a little after a midnight. That morning everyone was sleeping, so I was like, Hey, I might as well shoot over and pitch. I still had to wear that bracelet they give the dads so you can go into the nursery, but once I got on the mound, I did decent. That's what they tell me, anyway. I hardly remember a thing.

Life in Ashland
Quiet. We stick around the house or go see family. If we want to go to a nice restaurant, we drive 20 minutes into West Virginia, to Huntington. At home I don't get recognized a whole lot, or if I do people are low-key. That's nice. In Phoenix it's totally the opposite.

A favorite pastime
I've got seven acres in Kentucky, three acres fenced in. I have a pretty sweet lawn mower, and I like going out and relaxing and mowing. It takes an hour, hour and a half. I don't even know what I think about out there.

On 2004, his second season, when he led the NL in losses (16) and walks (119) as Arizona lost 111 games
Painful. I started trying to be too fine, to pitch around contact and strike everybody out. I finally learned you've got to let them hit the ball. Be aggressive.

His signature sinker
People ask my secret. There is no secret. It's all arm action. You either have it or you don't. Even I'm surprised sometimes the way the ball moves. In '03 or '04 a batter swung at a pitch and it hit him in the chest.