Sedona Red Recap: Zack Greinke shines again as D-backs blank Rays

Zack Greinke’s debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks back on Opening Day wasn’t his best work. He’d tell you that.

He’d also tell you he feels like he’s been pitching better ever since though. And Tuesday’s effort against the Tampa Bay Rays might be his most impressive performance of the season.

Jake Lamb and Paul Goldschmidt delivered the run support courtesy of a pair of home runs as Arizona blanked Tampa by a final of 5-0 in front of 17,964 at Chase Field. Lamb pushed a three-run shot just over the left field wall in the fourth, then Goldschmidt followed with a two-run blast in the sixth.

That keeps the two of them tied for the team lead with 11 homeruns on the year. And it was all the help Greinke needed.

Put simply: the 32-year old righty had everything working, including a devastating curve ball that looked unhittable at times. When the dust settled, Arizona’s prized offseason acquisition had tossed his first complete game shutout of the season, scattering just three hits over the full nine innings.

In the process, Greinke picked up his eighth win in his last nine decisions. And while his home/road splits have been a point of emphasis, pitching at Chase Field certainly wasn’t an issue Tuesday. He entered with a 1.54 ERA outside of Phoenix but a 6.54 ERA in the desert, and yet he didn’t allow a Rays batter to get past first base in the full outing.

With the victory, the D-backs are now 26-35 overall.

THE GOOD

– Arizona used some slick fielding to turn a double play in the third inning. After Hank Conger drew a leadoff walk, Matt Moore dropped a soft bunt down the third base line. Lamb read it the whole way though, scooping it up and firing to Nick Ahmed at second, who then whipped it to Jean Segura covering at first.

– Greinke has now given up just seven hits — and zero runs — over 16.0 innings in his last two starts.

– Goldschmidt has reached base in 13 straight games.

THE BAD

– Manager Chip Hale was ejected in the fourth inning, after Brandon Drury was called out on strikes. The umpires ruled that Drury tipped the ball on the third strike, but that it went directly into the catcher’s glove after he made contact. Hale’s contention was that it hit the ground first, so he came out of the dugout said his piece and was tossed (and then said some more). It’s his first ejection since September 1, 2015.

– Ahmed was thrown out at third base to end the fifth inning when he tried to tag up on a Segura fly to right.

STAT OF THE GAME

150: That’s the number of wins Greinke now has in his Major League career. Only Bartolo Colon (222), C.C. Sabathia (217), John Lackey (171) and Justin Verlander (162) have more, among active pitchers.

HE SAID IT

“They’re trying to get it right, but they’re at a disadvantage there because they can’t go review it. So I just said ‘I’m not going to leave’… so he threw me out.” – Chip Hale, explaining his ejection.

NOTED

– Shelby Miller is in line to make a rehab start with Single-A Visalia on Thursday.

– This was Arizona’s 10th home win of 2016. The D-backs have 16 victories on the road.

UP NEXT

These two teams will meet up for the rubber match of the series on Wednesday afternoon. Archie Bradley takes the hill for Arizona, while Tampa Bay counters with Jake Odorizzi.

First pitch is set for 12:40 p.m., with pregame coverage beginning at noon on ESPN Phoenix 620.

Bradley (2-1) enters on the heels of two of the best starts he’s ever had. On May 29, he set a career-high with nine strikeouts in a 6-3 win over the Padres.

Then, on June 3, he fanned 10 Cubs to quickly set a new personal best again. He was the tough-luck loser despite allowing just one run over 6.0 innings though, as Chicago got to the bullpen for a 6-0 victory.

Odorizzi (2-3) has been on a roll lately too, allowing two earned runs or less in seven of his last eight starts. He scattered two runs while striking out six over 6.0 innings against the Twins on June 3 but didn’t factor into the decision. Wednesday’s contest will mark the first time he has ever faced the D-backs.

Follow @LukeLapinski