Pittsburgh Pirates vs Arizona Diamondbacks Match Player Stats On May 11, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 12, 2017

PHOENIX -- Zack Greinke was nearly unhittable Thursday night, coming six outs away from his first no-hitter in 14 major league seasons and leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Greinke (4-2) struck out 11, tying a season high, in eight innings. The only hit he allowed was Gregory Polanco's solo home run to lead off the eighth.

Fernando Rodney, who hadn't pitched in six days, tossed a scoreless ninth inning for his ninth save in 11 chances this season.

Suspense for a Greinke no-hitter truly began to build when Andrew McCutchen flied out to deep center field to end the top of the seventh, the farthest-hit fair ball by the Pirates on the night. Greinke walked to the dugout to cheers.

The crowd groaned with relief in the eighth as Polanco's deep fly ball down the right field line curved foul into the seats. But moments later, Polanco straightened out a Greinke slider, and it landed inside the pole for his first home run of the season.

Pirates starter Gerrit Cole pitched well but got no run support once again. Pittsburgh's offense has scored a total of five runs in Cole's last five starts while Cole has been in the game, and his NL-low 2.09 run-support average dipped even lower after Thursday.

Cole (1-4) was the hard-luck losing pitcher though he allowed just two runs on seven hits in seven innings, striking out five with a walk. The Pirates (14-21) lost their fifth straight game.

Rodney, who often has had to work out of trouble for saves this season, got the first two outs before walking Josh Harrison. The game ended when Diamondbacks catcher Jeff Mathis threw out Harrison trying to steal second base with Francisco Cervelli at the plate.

The Pirates challenged the call, but it was upheld after a 2-minute, 14-second review.

Greinke struck out nine with a walk in the first five innings. The walk to Jordy Mercer in the third was the only baserunner Greinke allowed before Polanco's homer.

Chris Owings led off the bottom of the second inning with a double, then came home on Brandon Drury's single up the middle to give Arizona a 1-0 lead.

Drury has reached base safely in 30 of his last 31 games at Chase Field and has hit safely in nine straight games.

Mercer appeared to have his first stolen base of the season in the third, but he was called out upon replay review. The original safe call was overturned in a 39-second review.

Diamondbacks right fielder David Peralta took a hit away from McCutchen to end the top of the first, diving to catch a sinking line drive.

Peralta hit his second double of the game with one out in the third, then came home on Jake Lamb's double for a 2-0 lead. However, Cole was able to strand runners at second and third base by striking out Owings and Drury.

The Diamondbacks (20-16) finished with seven hits.

NOTES: Pirates RHP Daniel Hudson returned to Chase Field for the first time since he won the 2016 season finale in relief for the Diamondbacks. Hudson, a popular player with teammates and fans, doffed his cap when introduced via public address before the top of the second inning. ... INF Adam Frazier is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis, where has been since Monday. Frazier is on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain. ... Diamondbacks OF Yasmany Tomas got Thursday off, with Daniel Descalso starting in left field. Tomas, who homered on Wednesday, is hitting .352 (19-for-54) with seven doubles, four home runs and 19 RBIs in his last 14 home games. ... RHP Taijuan Walker was feeling ill before his last start on Sunday at Colorado, in which he took the loss after going 5 2/3 innings. But Walker is feeling fine and any sickness that affected Diamondbacks players recently has worked its way out of the clubhouse, manager Torey Lovullo said. Walker isn't scheduled to pitch again until Saturday.