"This one's for Hook"

Brandon Webb dedicated his win last night to his late [and former] roommate Jon Hooker.

This one, Brandon Webb said, was for "Hook."

Pitching one day after the death of close friend Jon Hooker in a Kentucky plane crash, Webb scattered six hits over 7 1/3 innings and helped the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the San Diego Padres 7-4 Monday night.

Hooker, Webb's roommate and teammate at the University of Kentucky, was among 49 people killed in the crash of commuter jet in Lexington on Sunday. Hooker was married the previous night to Scarlett Parsley, also killed in the crash.

"I'm sure people do it all the time when tragedy happens like that, you try to do it for them, for the person," Webb said. "I think that's what kind of motivated me and got me through it."

Webb said he never thought about skipping the start.

"I always knew I'd pitch. I had no doubt about it," he said. "Knowing Hook, I'm sure he'd want me to do it, too."

Right up until the time he took the mound, Webb said the crash was on his mind.

"As bad as the situation was," he said, "for him to just be married a few hours beforehand makes it that much tougher."[...]

"With everything Brandon Webb's going through, he did an outstanding job," Padres starter Woody Williams said. "He showed a lot of composure. I'm sure his teammates have that much more respect for him now that he was able to go out there and do what he did."[...]

"The story of tonight is Brandon Webb," Byrnes said, "and the way he was able to go out there and pitch a typical 'Webby' game. Our hearts and prayers are out to his friend and his family. You want to talk about bringing things into perspective. It really bring things back to reality."

If Chris Carpenter does not win the Cy Young award this season, I'd like Brandon Webb to.