Zack Greinke homers for first time as D-back, then homers again in win

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Greinke gave up four home runs to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Opening Day, and in the bottom of the first on Tuesday against the San Diego Padres, allowed another to Hunter Renfroe of the two-run variety.

Greinke decided he would get in on the fun with his own bat, mashing a three-run dinger to center in the top of the fourth that would be one of the two he hit in an 8-5 D-backs win.

In a delightful twist given Greinke’s personality, the D-backs gave their ace the silent treatment in the dugout before showering him with high fives and sunflower seeds.

ZACK GREINKE HOMERS—then gets the silent treatment🤣. #RattleOn pic.twitter.com/yhYxwq1p3m

— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) April 3, 2019

“It was the first time I wanted anyone to talk to me all year,” Greinke joked.

The homer was Greinke’s first as a D-back and the seventh of his career. He hadn’t homered since mid-August of 2015 against the Reds.

That fourth inning also included a homer by Ketel Marte and Arizona had five hitters reach base for four total runs.

But Greinke wasn’t done there.

He homered again in the top of the sixth on his next at-bat.

Have a NIGHT Zack Greinke! 2 home runs and his 50th career double-digit strikeout game all in one game! #RattleOn pic.twitter.com/qjrZiZwInz

— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) April 3, 2019

That followed a monster homer by D-backs catcher John Ryan Murphy in the same inning.

LOOK WHERE THIS LANDED! WHOA! John Ryan Murphy gives us big tacos tonight! @Dbacks up 5-2. #RattleOn pic.twitter.com/M0NzcCBTBY

— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) April 3, 2019

With two homers, Greinke is the second D-back pitcher to homer twice in a game, joining Micah Owings’ two from 2007.

“Nothing he does surprises me,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said.

Greinke, of course, became the second D-backs starting pitcher to homer this season. Luke Weaver hit his first-ever home run in the majors on Sunday.

Only six games into the season, it’s the first time since 2011 the D-backs have had multiple pitchers hit a home run. Zack Duke hit two that year, along with one each for Barry Enright and Daniel Hudson.

A pitcher had never homered to center in Petco Park prior to Greinke’s 413-foot shot in the fourth.

After a shaky second inning that started with two singles following the two-run first, Greinke retired six straight and carried that momentum with him to the plate for that first homer.

Greinke had 10 strikeouts through five innings.

The timing of his outing is eerie, taking place exactly two years after a starting pitcher had a similar day.

Zack Greinke has hit 2 HR and has 10 K's.

The last pitcher with 2 HR and 10+ K's in a game was Madison Bumgarner — against the D-backs in a game started by Greinke.

— Paul Casella (@paul_casella) April 3, 2019

In the back-half of the sixth inning that included two D-backs homers, Renfroe hit a solo shot, his second of the game to make it 6-3 Arizona.

Christian Walker made it three straight half-innings with a long ball in the top of the seventh, hitting his third of the year with no runners on to offset Renfroe’s and make it a four-run lead again for the D-backs.

Wouldn’t you know it, Will Myers homered in the bottom of the seventh, bringing home Manuel Margot and making it only a two-run game.

After an eighth inning that had the D-backs add one more run and a shaky scoreless bottom-half for Archie Bradley, Greg Holland closed out the ninth for his second save of the year.

The D-backs had 14 hits and the two teams combined for 25 total.

Arizona’s 14 home runs six games into the season is the most in franchise history.

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