Webb aims to extend streak

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Brandon Webb, who hasn’t given up a run in more than a month, will try to keep a pair of streaks going when he faces visiting Milwaukee tonight.

Webb, who has thrown 42 consecutive scoreless innings since giving up two earned runs to the Chicago Cubs on July 20 -- the Diamondbacks lost, 6-2, but Webb wasn’t involved in the decision -- has a much shorter streak working against the Brewers.

In his last start against Milwaukee, on July 15, 2006, Webb pitched seven shutout innings, giving up six hits and striking out 10 in an 8-1 victory at Chase Field.

Making a strong bid to win the National League Cy Young Award for a second consecutive season, Webb has pitched in five consecutive shutouts, defeating Florida, 7-0, on July 25, San Diego, 4-0, on July 31, the Dodgers, 3-0, on Aug. 5, Washington, 1-0, on Aug. 11 and Atlanta, 4-0, on Friday. The last three have been complete games, making him the first pitcher since Roger Clemens in 1998 to go the distance in three consecutive games.

The right-hander’s current streak is the second-longest since divisional play began in 1969, trailing only Orel Hershiser, who had 59 consecutive scoreless innings during the Dodgers’ last championship season in 1988.

Webb’s mound opponent tonight will be Jeff Suppan, who is 8-10 and has had trouble pitching deep into games. In his last 14 starts, Suppan has failed to go at least six innings 10 times.

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In the midst of an important series in Detroit, the Cleveland Indians will turn to Paul Byrd tonight, and the veteran right-hander has had plenty of success against the Tigers during his career.

The well-traveled Byrd -- he has also played for the Angels, Kansas City, Atlanta, the New York Mets and Philadelphia -- has won seven of nine decisions against Detroit, including a 7-4 win at Comerica Park during a three-game sweep by Cleveland in late May.

Detroit, which lost four of its first six at home this year to the Indians while winning three of five in Cleveland, will start Justin Verlander, who has a win and a no-decision at Comerica in 2007 against the Tigers’ chief rival in the American League Central.

In 13 innings in Detroit, Verlander has given up four earned runs.

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Although Barry Zito, who signed a seven-year contract worth $126 million last winter, has been a bust in San Francisco, the former American League Cy Young Award winner tonight is facing a team, the Chicago Cubs, he did defeat last month.

Zito, who has an earned-run average of 4.88 and has lost nine of 20 decisions for the last-place Giants, was effective against the Cubs in Wrigley Field last month.

In a game San Francisco won, 4-2, on July 17, Zito gave up one earned run in seven innings and struck out eight.

Unfortunately for Zito, he’s pitching at AT&T; Park tonight. The left-hander’s last three victories have come on the road.

bob.mieszerski@latimes.com