Giants at Diamondbacks
After having their five-game winning streak halted Wednesday, the Arizona Diamondbacks are well positioned to start another one when they send Zack Greinke to the mound Thursday for the opener of a four-game set against the visiting San Francisco Giants. Arizona swept a four-game series in San Francisco last month.
Greinke earned his first victory of the season against the Giants on April 20 to improve to 8-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 11 career starts against them. Seven of those wins came in a span of eight starts over the previous two seasons when Greinke was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Francisco right-hander Johnny Cueto, like Greinke a marquee offseason signing, suffered his only loss versus the Diamondbacks but takes a 6-2 lifetime mark against them into Thursday's start. The Giants had scored one run during a three-game skid before beating Toronto 5-4 on a bases-loaded walk in the 13th inning Wednesday.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Johnny Cueto (4-1, 3.02 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Zack Greinke (3-2, 5.15)
Cueto rebounded from a shellacking in Cincinnati with a stellar outing versus Colorado on Saturday, although he had to settle for a no-decision despite 8 1/3 innings of scoreless ball. Cueto has pitched at least seven innings in six of his seven starts while not allowing more than two walks and permitting a total of two home runs. Two of the Diamondbacks' top hitters, Jean Segura and Welington Castillo, are a combined 7-for-36 with zero extra-base hits versus Cueto.
Greinke lost his first two outings of the season but has registered a quality start in four of his last five turns after limiting Atlanta to two runs and seven hits while striking out eight over six innings. The 32-year-old Greinke did not factor in the decision in his previous start despite seven innings of two-run ball versus Colorado. Greinke has held San Francisco to a .221 batting average against, although center fielder Denard Span (11-for-36) has enjoyed success against him.
WALK-OFFS
1. Diamondbacks LF Yasmany Tomas went 6-for-8 in the last two games versus Colorado after sitting out four games with an ailing neck.
2. Giants C Buster Posey, who drew the game-winning walk Wednesday, is 1-for-24 in his last six games.
3. Diamondbacks 2B Jean Segura owns a nine-game hitting streak and a career-best 18-game on-base string.