Greinke has best outing with Diamondbacks; starters still searching for first win
Apr 15, 2016, 11:47 PM | Updated: Apr 16, 2016, 4:10 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Greinke throws to a San Diego Padres batter during the first inning of a baseball game Friday, April 15, 2016, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
(AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)
When the Arizona Diamondbacks acquired Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller in the offseason, the expectations for them were to win a bunch of games.
However, through 11 games this season that hasn’t been the case — each still searching for their first victory as are the rest of the Diamondbacks starters.
On Friday the D-backs turned to their $200 million ace in Greinke to get them that elusive victory against the San Deigo Padres.
Greinke gave up a run in the second inning and the Padres took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. The Diamondbacks would eventually tie it up at 2-2 in the seventh.
Greinke was relieved in the eighth with the game still tied, leaving Diamondbacks starters still searching for that first win of the young season.
Daniel Hudson came in and struck out Melvin Upton and got Derek Norris to ground out to preserve the tie and hand Greinke a no decision.
The D-backs went onto to win 3-2 after picking up a run in the top of the ninth.
Greinke’s start was his best as a Diamondback as he pitched seven and a third innings, giving up two runs on six hits. He struck out five and walked one while retiring 11 in a row through the middle innings.
“He did a great job,” Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale told Fox Sports Arizona after Friday’s game. “He was down and up when he wanted to be. He used all of his pitches and he was the Greinke that we expected.”
It’s a far cry from his Opening Day start against the Colorado Rockies in which he gave up seven runs on nine hits while lasting only four innings.
Greinke’s Opening Day start was the beginning of a stretch where entering Friday’s game, Diamondbacks’ starters have a 32.46 ERA while giving up 40 runs on 64 hits in 54 and a third innings pitched. During that time the starters have suffered six losses and four no decisions while the team went 3-7.
The Diamondbacks two biggest acquisitions in Greinke and Miller have a 9.90 ERA and 8.18 ERA respectfully entering Friday’s game. Meanwhile the No. 3 starter in Patrick Corbin had a 3.46 ERA and the No. 4 starter in Rubby De La Rosa had an 8.00 ERA while the No. 5 starter Robbie Ray has a 2.92 ERA in just two starts.
