PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks hustled for extra bases, made some nifty defensive plays and got a dominating performance from their starting pitcher.
At a time when the team has been "wandering," it was good to get back to what made them so successful early in the season.
Zack Greinke struck out nine in six-plus innings to bounce back from his first home loss of the season and the scrappy-again Diamondbacks beat the Houston Astros 2-0 on Monday night.
"We've had some wandering moments and I think today we captured what we are all about in a nine-inning ballgame," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "It's nice to see these guys locked in their focus. They did what they were supposed to when they were supposed to like they've been doing all year long."
Coming off disappointing back-to-back series against two of the NL's best teams, the Diamondbacks had five doubles, including three set up by aggressive baserunning.
Ketel Marte had one to drive in a run off Collin McHugh (0-2) in the second inning and J.D. Martinez had another off the right-hander in the sixth.
The bullpen did its job, with Jorge De La Rosa and Archie Bradley bridging the game to closer Fernando Rodney, who worked around an infield single in the ninth for his 27th save.
Greinke (14-5) was the catalyst.
The All-Star right-hander took his first home loss last week against the Los Angeles Dodgers and followed with a dominating performance against the majors' top-hitting team.
Greinke struck out AL batting leader Jose Altuve three times and held the Astros to five hits in 6 2/3 innings to help the Diamondbacks win for the third time in nine games.
"He got chases when he needed chases," said Houston manager A.J. Hinch, whose AL West-leading team has lost six of seven. "He pitched a really good game. He doesn't concede anything, especially when he has his command."
Greinke had been dominant at Chase Field prior to his last start, going 10-0 for the best home start in franchise history. The Dodgers ended his undefeated home streak with a 3-2 win last Thursday, knocking him for three runs in 6 2/3 innings.
Greinke had his slider working well against the Astros, keeping the majors' leader in hits and homers off-balance all night. Altuve, hitting .362 coming in, had his first three-strikeout game in three years and fourth overall in seven big-league seasons.
Greinke was lifted after giving up a two-out single to Derek Fisher in the seventh inning, a move precipitated by Lovullo's decision to leave him in the loss against the Dodgers last week.
"I have four useable pitches, so I can kind of play with the hitters," Greinke said. "Maybe it helps that I have four useable pitches this season instead of just two."
McHugh was solid in his fifth major league start, allowing two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. He just couldn't match Greinke at his best.
"He is a really good pitcher. I faced him twice and it was not close," McHugh said. "He held us at bay, but that doesn't change your game plan, it doesn't change the way you attack hitters."
DEFENSIVE GEMS
The Astros had three defensive gems against the Diamondbacks.
Right fielder Josh Reddick laid out to rob Martinez of a hit in the second inning, then made a nifty catch against the wall on a drive by A.J. Pollock in the seventh.
Astros third baseman Alex Bregman also barehanded grab on a squibber by Greinke to throw him out by a step in the second inning.
TRAINER'S TABLE
Astros: All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa took about 20 swings off a tee, fielded ground balls and ran the bases before Monday's game, the latest step in his return from left thumb surgery.
Diamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray is expected to make a rehab start for Class A Visalia on Thursday, his first time facing live hitters since being struck on the head by a line drive against St. Louis late last month.
UP NEXT
Astros RHP Brad Peacock, who has bounced between the rotation and bullpen, is 7-1 with a 3.46 ERA in 13 starts heading into Tuesday's series finale against Arizona.
Diamondbacks: LHP Anthony Banda will be making his third career start after losing to the Dodgers in his last outing. He allowed three runs in four innings of the 8-6 loss.
At a time when the team has been "wandering," it was good to get back to what made them so successful early in the season.
Zack Greinke struck out nine in six-plus innings to bounce back from his first home loss of the season and the scrappy-again Diamondbacks beat the Houston Astros 2-0 on Monday night.
"We've had some wandering moments and I think today we captured what we are all about in a nine-inning ballgame," Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. "It's nice to see these guys locked in their focus. They did what they were supposed to when they were supposed to like they've been doing all year long."
Coming off disappointing back-to-back series against two of the NL's best teams, the Diamondbacks had five doubles, including three set up by aggressive baserunning.
Ketel Marte had one to drive in a run off Collin McHugh (0-2) in the second inning and J.D. Martinez had another off the right-hander in the sixth.
The bullpen did its job, with Jorge De La Rosa and Archie Bradley bridging the game to closer Fernando Rodney, who worked around an infield single in the ninth for his 27th save.
Greinke (14-5) was the catalyst.
The All-Star right-hander took his first home loss last week against the Los Angeles Dodgers and followed with a dominating performance against the majors' top-hitting team.
Greinke struck out AL batting leader Jose Altuve three times and held the Astros to five hits in 6 2/3 innings to help the Diamondbacks win for the third time in nine games.
"He got chases when he needed chases," said Houston manager A.J. Hinch, whose AL West-leading team has lost six of seven. "He pitched a really good game. He doesn't concede anything, especially when he has his command."
Greinke had been dominant at Chase Field prior to his last start, going 10-0 for the best home start in franchise history. The Dodgers ended his undefeated home streak with a 3-2 win last Thursday, knocking him for three runs in 6 2/3 innings.
Greinke had his slider working well against the Astros, keeping the majors' leader in hits and homers off-balance all night. Altuve, hitting .362 coming in, had his first three-strikeout game in three years and fourth overall in seven big-league seasons.
Greinke was lifted after giving up a two-out single to Derek Fisher in the seventh inning, a move precipitated by Lovullo's decision to leave him in the loss against the Dodgers last week.
"I have four useable pitches, so I can kind of play with the hitters," Greinke said. "Maybe it helps that I have four useable pitches this season instead of just two."
McHugh was solid in his fifth major league start, allowing two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. He just couldn't match Greinke at his best.
"He is a really good pitcher. I faced him twice and it was not close," McHugh said. "He held us at bay, but that doesn't change your game plan, it doesn't change the way you attack hitters."
DEFENSIVE GEMS
The Astros had three defensive gems against the Diamondbacks.
Right fielder Josh Reddick laid out to rob Martinez of a hit in the second inning, then made a nifty catch against the wall on a drive by A.J. Pollock in the seventh.
Astros third baseman Alex Bregman also barehanded grab on a squibber by Greinke to throw him out by a step in the second inning.
TRAINER'S TABLE
Astros: All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa took about 20 swings off a tee, fielded ground balls and ran the bases before Monday's game, the latest step in his return from left thumb surgery.
Diamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray is expected to make a rehab start for Class A Visalia on Thursday, his first time facing live hitters since being struck on the head by a line drive against St. Louis late last month.
UP NEXT
Astros RHP Brad Peacock, who has bounced between the rotation and bullpen, is 7-1 with a 3.46 ERA in 13 starts heading into Tuesday's series finale against Arizona.
Diamondbacks: LHP Anthony Banda will be making his third career start after losing to the Dodgers in his last outing. He allowed three runs in four innings of the 8-6 loss.
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Houston - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Zack Greinke pitching for Arizona | HOU | ARI |
| Springer struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Altuve struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Reddick singled to left. | 0 | 0 |
| Gurriel grounded out to pitcher. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Collin McHugh pitching for Houston | HOU | ARI |
| Blanco popped out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Pollock hit by pitch. | 0 | 0 |
| Lamb grounded into double play, first to third to pitcher, Pollock out at second. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Zack Greinke pitching for Arizona | HOU | ARI |
| Bregman walked. | 0 | 0 |
| González struck out looking. Bregman caught stealing second, catcher to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Fisher flied out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Collin McHugh pitching for Houston | HOU | ARI |
| Goldschmidt struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Martinez lined out to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Descalso doubled to deep center. | 0 | 0 |
| Marte doubled to right center, Descalso scored. | 0 | 1 |
| Mathis walked. | 0 | 1 |
| Greinke grounded out to third. | 0 | 1 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Zack Greinke pitching for Arizona | HOU | ARI |
| Centeno struck out looking. | 0 | 1 |
| McHugh struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| Springer reached on infield single to shortstop, Springer to second on throwing error by shortstop Marte. | 0 | 1 |
| Altuve struck out swinging, Altuve safe at first on wild pitch by Greinke, Springer to third. | 0 | 1 |
| Reddick popped out to first. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Collin McHugh pitching for Houston | HOU | ARI |
| Blanco struck out looking. | 0 | 1 |
| Pollock struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| Lamb doubled to center. | 0 | 1 |
| Goldschmidt struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Zack Greinke pitching for Arizona | HOU | ARI |
| Gurriel reached on infield single to third. | 0 | 1 |
| Bregman grounded into double play, third to second to first, Gurriel out at second. | 0 | 1 |
| González doubled to deep left center. | 0 | 1 |
| Fisher lined out to second. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Collin McHugh pitching for Houston | HOU | ARI |
| Martinez flied out to right. | 0 | 1 |
| Descalso flied out to center. | 0 | 1 |
| Marte singled to left. | 0 | 1 |
| Mathis struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Zack Greinke pitching for Arizona | HOU | ARI |
| Centeno lined out to left. | 0 | 1 |
| McHugh struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| Springer flied out to right. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Collin McHugh pitching for Houston | HOU | ARI |
| Greinke struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| Blanco grounded out to third. | 0 | 1 |
| Pollock grounded out to shortstop. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Zack Greinke pitching for Arizona | HOU | ARI |
| Altuve struck out swinging. | 0 | 1 |
| Reddick walked. | 0 | 1 |
| Gurriel grounded into double play, third to second to first, Reddick out at second. | 0 | 1 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Collin McHugh pitching for Houston | HOU | ARI |
| Lamb flied out to center. | 0 | 1 |
| Goldschmidt doubled to left. | 0 | 1 |
| Martinez doubled to center, Goldschmidt scored. | 0 | 2 |
| Descalso lined out to right. | 0 | 2 |
| Musgrove relieved McHugh. | 0 | 2 |
| Marte lined out to left. | 0 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Zack Greinke pitching for Arizona | HOU | ARI |
| Bregman grounded out to third. | 0 | 2 |
| González struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| Fisher singled to right. | 0 | 2 |
| De La Rosa relieved Greinke. | 0 | 2 |
| Centeno struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Joe Musgrove pitching for Houston | HOU | ARI |
| Mathis singled to right. | 0 | 2 |
| Herrmann hit for De La Rosa. | 0 | 2 |
| Herrmann flied out to right. | 0 | 2 |
| Blanco grounded into fielder's choice to second, Mathis out at second. | 0 | 2 |
| Pollock lined out to right. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Archie Bradley pitching for Arizona | HOU | ARI |
| Bradley relieved De La Rosa. | 0 | 2 |
| Marisnick hit for Musgrove. | 0 | 2 |
| Marisnick struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| Springer lined out to right. | 0 | 2 |
| Altuve singled to left center. | 0 | 2 |
| Reddick grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Altuve out at second. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Arizona - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Tyler Clippard pitching for Houston | HOU | ARI |
| Clippard relieved Musgrove. | 0 | 2 |
| Lamb hit a ground rule double to deep center. | 0 | 2 |
| Goldschmidt walked. | 0 | 2 |
| Martinez popped out to first. | 0 | 2 |
| Descalso fouled out to first. | 0 | 2 |
| Marte struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Fernando Rodney pitching for Arizona | HOU | ARI |
| Rodney relieved Bradley. | 0 | 2 |
| Gurriel struck out swinging. | 0 | 2 |
| Bregman grounded out to third. | 0 | 2 |
| González reached on infield single to first. | 0 | 2 |
| Fisher lined out to second. | 0 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Houston Astros | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| Springer CF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 17 | .304 | .380 | .577 |
| Altuve 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 | .361 | .421 | .570 |
| Reddick RF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | .295 | .342 | .471 |
| Gurriel 1B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | .292 | .320 | .480 |
| Bregman 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | .271 | .356 | .466 |
| González SS | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 18 | .316 | .392 | .567 |
| Fisher LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | .247 | .358 | .444 |
| Centeno C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | .304 | .360 | .565 |
| McHugh P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Musgrove P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
a-Marisnick PH
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .241 | .321 | .503 |
Clippard P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Totals | 32 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 130 | |||
| a-struck out swinging for J Musgrove in the 8th | ||||||||||
| BATTING 2B: González (22, Greinke) GIDP: Bregman, Gurriel Astros RISP: 0-3 (Altuve 0-1, Reddick 0-1, Fisher 0-1) Team LOB: 7 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING CS: Bregman (5, 2nd base by Greinke/Mathis) | ||||||||||
| FIELDING DP: 1 (Gurriel-Bregman-McHugh). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ |
| Attendance | 20,405 (42.1% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:48 |
| Weather | indoors |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Ramon DeJesus, First Base - Chris Guccione, Second Base - Dana DeMuth, Third Base - Paul Nauert |
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