Rockies at Diamondbacks
Zack Greinke has won his last two starts but still is trying
to regain the consistent dominance that led to his career-best
production last season. Greinke looks to rebound from allowing seven
runs in his last start when the Arizona Diamondbacks host the Colorado Rockies on Saturday.
Greinke went 19-3 with a 1.66 ERA with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season and parlayed it into a six-year, $206.5 million deal with Arizona. He has allowed seven runs in two of his five starts, including an Opening Day outing against the Rockies in which three of the nine hits he allowed were homers. Colorado exploded for four shots in a 9-0 victory in Friday's series opener to halt a five-game losing streak. Trevor Story hit a two-run blast for his 10th homer in April, tying the rookie record for the month set by Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox in 2014, and joining Boston's George Scott (1966) as the fastest players (21 games) to reach 10 homers in major-league history.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Chris Rusin (1-0, 2.45 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Zack Greinke (2-2, 6.16)
Rusin is making his first start of the season as he was moved into the rotation when Jordan Lyles was demoted to Triple-A Albuquerque earlier this week. He has been superb in his last three relief appearances, allowing just three hits and two walks over 9 2/3 scoreless innings. Rusin is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA in three career starts against the Diamondbacks, with the loss coming last season.
Greinke already has allowed 21 earned runs - he gave up 41 all last season - and opposing hitters are batting a collective .305 against him. Both times Greinke yielded seven runs came at his new home ballpark, where he is 1-2 with a 9.72 ERA in three starts. Greinke is 7-4 with a 4.16 ERA in 18 career appearances (17 starts) against Colorado and has struggled with Carlos Gonzalez (10-for-28, four homers) while shutting down Nolan Arenado (5-for-27).
WALK-OFFS
1. Arenado, who is tied with Story for the most homers in the majors, and Rockies teammates LF Ryan Raburn and C Nick Hundley also went deep on Friday.
2. Arizona claimed LHP Edwin Escobar off waivers from the Boston Red Sox and assigned him to Triple-A Reno.
3. Colorado CF Charlie Blackmon (turf toe) was activated from the disabled list on Friday and went 2-for-4 with a walk, while OF Brandon Barnes was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to clear a roster spot.