Sedona Red Recap: Zack Greinke wins third straight as D-backs edge Mets
May 16, 2017, 11:13 PM | Updated: May 17, 2017, 11:35 am
Arizona Diamondbacks' Zack Greinke throws a pitch against the New York Mets during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, May 16, 2017, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
PHOENIX — Lottery balls weren’t an issue for the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night. That belonged to the team just down the street.
For the baseball club, everything was decided on the field of play, and the results there have been in the D-backs’ favor whenever Zack Greinke takes the mound.
Making his first start since nearly no-hitting the Pirates last week, the 33-year old righty picked up a win in his fourth straight decision. He wasn’t nearly as dominant as he’s been at times this season, but he was still effective enough to help Arizona grind out a 5-4 victory over the New York Mets in front of 17,471 at Chase Field.
Greinke surrendered four runs over 6.2 innings — the second-highest run total he’s allowed all season. But he never trailed after the third inning and got some help in the form of strong defense, solid hitting and a little luck on the basepaths.
The D-backs’ big inning came in the third, when they were able to string together three hits and three stolen bases, then spin it all into a four-run outburst. A leadoff homer by Yasmany Tomas in the sixth gave Arizona an insurance run it would need, and the bullpen got the job done again.
With the win, Arizona jumps to 23-18 on the year — and an impressive 17-8 at home. The Diamondbacks have also won two in a row, five of their last seven and sit just 2.5 games back of the Rockies for first in the NL West.
THE GOOD
Tomas took a 1-1 pitch from Tommy Milone and launched it into the pool for his eighth home run of the year in the bottom of the sixth inning. He now has six homers in 11 career games against the Mets.
The bullpen was solid once more, combining for 2.1 innings of scoreless and hitless baseball to close out the game.
The D-backs are now 6-1 in their last seven games against New York.
Greinke (5-2) is 4-0 in his last five starts.
Brandon Drury has hit safely in 13 straight games at Chase Field.
Archie Bradley now has at least one strikeout in all 12 of his appearances this year. That’s the fourth-longest active streak in the majors.
THE BAD
The Mets scored their first run of the game when Greinke walked Curtis Granderson with the bases loaded.
Greinke only gave up five hits, but two of them went over the fence. He has now allowed seven home runs over his last four starts on just 19 total hits.
Arizona’s fourth run came on a weird play with two outs in the third inning. Chris Owings was on first, Paul Goldschmidt was on third and Tomas was at the plate. Owings got caught in a rundown between first and second base, so Goldschmidt decided to try to score rather than just stand and watch the inning end. He managed to cross home safely, but the Mets were able to get Owings out after he got to second, then tried for third. Goldschmidt’s run counted.
The Diamondbacks missed a chance to tack on an additional run with a 5-4 lead in the eighth. Owings and Tomas reached base with just one out, but were both eventually stranded there.
STAT OF THE GAME
8: Goldschmidt stole home in the bottom of the third inning, marking just the eighth time in history that an Arizona baserunner has managed to pull that off. The most recent was A.J. Pollock, who did so against the Marlins in Miami on May 20, 2015.
HE SAID IT
“It wasn’t even run anywhere close to how we wanted to run it. It was blind luck. So if the play was on and we were supposed to run it the right way, that is not how we run it. We got lucky.” – Torey Lovullo, noting that his team wasn’t trying to steal and risk taking the bat out of the hands of Tomas on the play where Goldschimdt ultimately did score
NOTED
– Greinke took a sharply hit ball off the leg in the second inning but was able to keep pitching.
UP NEXT
The D-backs will go for the sweep on Wednesday afternoon as these two clubs meet again at Chase Field. First pitch is set for 12:40 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at noon on ESPN 620 AM.
Patrick Corbin (3-4) gets the start for Arizona, looking for his second straight win. The 27-year old lefty allowed four earned runs over 6 innings in a victory over the Pirates on May 12 and is 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA over his last five starts at home.
Corbin is winless (0-3) in five career appearances against the Mets, sporting a 6.04 ERA in those outings.
New York will counter with Matt Harvey (2-3, 5.63).
