D-backs’ Zack Greinke no-hits Washington through 6 in Arizona win

Through six innings, the only pitch that got away from Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Greinke was a two-seam fastball in the fourth that hit the foot of right fielder Adam Eaton.

Greinke took the Washington Nationals into the seventh inning without allowing a hit until shortstop Trea Turner hit a sharp grounder to the first base side. Christian Walker dove and caught it, but fumbled with it trying to get the ball from glove to hand.

It would have been a bang-bang play even with a smooth transition with the speedy Turner, who made it without a throw.

Greinke threw 62 pitches, 44 for strikes, before Turner’s hit. The next batter, Eaton, singled to left field to put to runners on, but third baseman Anthony Rendon grounded into a double play immediately after. Greinke forced a high tapper back to the mound to get out of the seventh without allowing any real damage.

The D-backs lead 5-0 entering the top of the eighth.

Arizona got off to a hot start, loading the bases before recording an out and scoring two runs in the first.

In the second inning, catcher Alex Avila hit his third home run in the last three games he’s played to increase the lead to 3-0, and the following inning, center fielder Jarrod Dyson hit a two-run home run.

It was his fifth homer of the year, tying a career high.

That 5-0 lead stuck until the bottom of the eighth, when a rain delay was called.

That ended Greinke’s day at 75 pitches, 54 for strikes, and three strikeouts while only allowing two hits.

There was nothing doing afterward as the D-backs held on for a 5-0 win. Coupled with their Wednesday night win over the Philadelphia Phillies, it was the first time Arizona threw back-to-back shutouts since September 2015, according to the team.

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