Zack Greinke has one more spring start before he embarks on what he hopes is a bounce-back season for him and the Arizona Diamondbacks.
In an outing he described as “solid,” the right-hander went five innings plus two batters against the reigning World Series champion Chicago Cubs on Thursday, allowing three runs and six hits with four strikeouts and one walk.
“I was going a little slow early on but felt pretty strong out there today,” Greinke said. “I made a couple of mistakes, but it was definitely the highest percentage of executed pitches so far.”
His biggest mistake came against Jake Arrieta, who homered on a 1-2 pitch in the third inning for the Cubs’ first run.
“Not one of my better pitches,” Greinke said.
He threw 83 pitches, 55 strikes.
“He had some great sequences,” new Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “He was finishing off some hitters and the depth of his breaking ball was quality. He threw some quality change ups so I thought overall it was a very positive outing for Zack.”
AROUND THE GRAPEFRUIT AND CACTUS LEAGUES
TWINS 4, PHILLIES 2
Tommy Field hit a two-run home run and Ehire Adrianza went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Twins starter Nick Tepesch gave up two runs and six hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings.
For the Phillies, Odubel Herrera went 2 for 3 with a two-run homer and starter Aaron Nola gave up four runs and six hits and a walk, striking out six over 5 2/3 innings.
CARDINALS 5, MARLINS 3
Adam Wainwright went four innings and gave up three runs - one earned - on five hits and a walk, and added an RBI single. Kolton Wong drove in two with a triple. The Cardinals stole six bases.
Marlins starter Dan Straily allowed three runs and six hits over four innings. Edinson Volquez, back from his World Baseball Classic appearances for Dominican Republic, went three innings and gave up two runs - one earned - and three hits and two walks.
NATIONALS 1, METS 0
Asdrubal Cabrera was ejected by home plate umpire Angel Hernandez in the fourth inning.
Cabrera wasn’t granted time on a 3-0 count, then singled on the next pitch and said something to Hernandez on his way to first base. With Cabrera on first base, Hernandez threw him out of the game.
The game was then delayed several minutes while Cabrera slowly walked across the field from the third base dugout to the right field corner, as The Ballpark at Palm Beaches - the Nats new spring home - does not have direct access to the visitors’ clubhouse from the dugout.
Mets starter Robert Gsellman gave up an unearned run and four hits and two walks over 5 1/3 innings.
Nats prospect Erick Fedde went five shutout innings against the Mets regulars.
RED SOX 10, PIRATES 7
Dustin Pedroia went 3 for 3 with two runs, Hanley Ramirez and Mitch Moreland both drove in a pair and Pablo Sandoval continued his comeback from an injury-marred 2016, going 2 for 4 with three RBIs.
Starter Steven Wright went 4 1/3 shutout innings and allowed two hits and a walk.
Starling Marte hit a grand slam and had five RBIs. Starter Drew Hutchison was roughed up for six runs and 10 hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings.
YANKEES 5, RAYS 5
Rays starter Austin Pruitt struck out five over four shutout innings. Prospect Jake Bauers drove in a pair with a double.
Ronald Torreyes went 2 for 3 with a solo homer while Aaron Judge and Jacoby Ellsbury added a pair of hits apiece. Starter Jordan Montgomery struck out eight in 4 1/3 innings and allowed two runs and three hits.
WHITE SOX 4, REDS 2
Jose Quintana, in his first start back from the World Baseball Classic, didn’t allow a hit until the sixth. He finished with three strikeouts in seven innings. Nicky Delmonico homered and hit a two-run double.
Reds starter Bronson Arroyo gave up two runs and four hits and a walk over four innings.
PADRES 6, ANGELS 2
Luis Perdomo, who pitched San Diego’s only complete game last season in August, allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. Ryan Schimpf homered in the fifth. Jamie Romak and Hunter Renfro each doubled in a four-run eighth inning.
Ricky Nolasco gave up two runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings while striking out four for the Angels.
ATHLETICS 15, BREWERS 5
The A’s batted around in a five-run second, including two-run homers by Yonder Alonso and from prospect Max Schrock. Alonso and Trevor Plouffe smacked solo shots in the next inning.
Brewers starter Junior Guerra, selected as the opening day starter last week, allowed 12 runs and 10 hits and two walks over 3 2/3 innings.
CUBS 5, DIAMONDBACKS 5
Jake Arrieta gave up three earned runs and eight hits in five innings, and crushed a 465-foot homer off Zack Greinke in his first spring at-bat. Willson Contreras, looking to replace Miguel Montero and retired David Ross as the Cubs starting catcher, was 3 for 5 with an RBI and a stolen base. Tommy La Stella homered in the seventh.
Greinke allowed three runs and six hits with four strikeouts. Jake Lamb hit a two-run home run off Arrieta in the third inning. Oswaldo Arcai homered in the seventh.
INDIANS 8, ROCKIES 3
Cleveland tagged Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela for 10 hits and six runs in 5 1/3 innings. Corey Kluber gave up one unearned run and five hits with eight strikeouts and a walk over five innings. Erik Gonzalez and Adam Moore homered.
Rafael Ynoa had two hits, including a home run, for Colorado.
BRAVES 2, TIGERS 1
Mel Rojas Jr. hit a leadoff double and scored off Adam Walker’s single in the ninth inning.
Coming off back-to-back scoreless starts, Justin Verlander gave up a home run to Freddie Freeman in the first inning. Verlander allowed two hits in six innings with four strikeouts. Nicholas Castellanos homered off Atlanta starter Jaime Garcia in the fourth.
Garcia allowed five hits over 5 2/3 innings and struck out four.
DODGERS 10, RANGERS 2
Clayton Kershaw struck out 11 in six scoreless innings in his final spring start before the regular-season opener against San Diego on April 3. It will be Kershaw’s seventh straight start on opening day, tying Don Sutton and Don Drysdale for the most in franchise history.
Chase Utley started at first base - his first in the field not at second base - and was 3 for 4 with a home run. Yasiel Puig, who was out three days with calf tightness, hit a two-run single in the third.
Texas starter Dillon Gee allowed seven runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings. Drew Robinson hit a two-run home run in the ninth.
MARINERS 9, GIANTS 2
Felix Hernandez, back from the World Baseball Classic while with Venezuela, allowed one hit with five strikeouts in six innings. Ben Gamel hit a two-run home run. Mitch Haniger, Kyle Seager and Danny Valencia each had two hits.
San Francisco starter Matt Moore gave up four earned runs, struck out three and walked two in 1 2/3 innings.
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