Zack Greinke does it all in D-backs’ win over Marlins
Jun 28, 2018, 12:18 PM | Updated: 3:50 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks' Zack Greinke pitches to Miami Marlins' Starlin Castro during the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, June 28, 2018, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Zack Greinke got a little help from Zack Greinke on Thursday against the Miami Marlins.
Arizona’s right-handed ace produced on the mound, at the plate and even on the base paths, becoming the first pitcher since St. Louis’ Bob Gibson to record a hit, RBI and a stolen base in two games over the course of a single season, according to the Diamondbacks.
Gibson pulled off that feat in 1969.
“There’s a record every game. You’ve just got to look hard enough for it,” Greinke said, per the Associated Press.
On Thursday in the 4-0 D-backs victory to wrap the four-game series win, Greinke went 2-for-3 at the plate. He notched an RBI single in the top of the sixth, plus stole second base in the second frame to set up an RBI single by Paul Goldschmidt that scored the pitcher.
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“Just placed a good one right up the middle and another one just right where they weren’t standing so that was nice,” Greinke told reporters in Miami, per FOX Sports Arizona. “It’s more fun when you’re doing good and today there was a lot of good results, so it was a fun day.”
The seventh stolen base in Greinke’s career moved him into fourth place all-time among MLB pitchers. Greg Maddux leads that list with 11 stolen bases over his career.
Greinke became the first pitcher in 49 years to record two games with a hit, RBI and stolen base after he previously put together such an outing against the Washington Nationals on May 10. That was a 2-1 loss for the D-backs, as Greinke also allowed an earned run in 7.0 innings.
#Dbacks Zack Greinke is the first winning pitcher with 0 earned runs and 0 walks while recording 2 hits at the plate along with a run, RBI and stolen base since RBI's became an official stat in 1920 (h/t @StatsBySTATS). pic.twitter.com/28Cv3ohyPF
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) June 28, 2018
He fared even better on the mound Thursday, pitching 7.0 innings with seven hits without allowing a run to score. He had six strikeouts to no walks.
“Made some really good plays defensively and made it easy, just a couple balls were hit really good and ran down really good for me,” Greinke said. “All the pitches were working all right, mixing it up. Got some breaks.”
