Field Level Media
Aug 26, 2018
Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt hit his 30th home run of the season to cap a five-run third inning, Zack Greinke broke a four-game winless streak, and the Diamondbacks regained sole possession of first place in the National League West with a 5-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday in Phoenix.
Greinke (13-8) gave up five hits and one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings, with six strikeouts and two walks. He had received seven runs of support while on the mound in his four previous outings.
Goldschmidt has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games, during which he is batting .394 with six doubles, six homers and 16 RBIs. He entered the game with a .344 batting average since July 1, second in in the NL to teammate David Peralta (.348).
Mitch Haniger had two hits, including a double, and was 6-for-14 with two homers and four runs in the series for the Mariners, who dropped 6 1/2 games behind Houston and five behind Oakland in the American League West.
Seattle scored one run in the ninth inning when Arizona left fielder David Peralta dropped Dee Gordon's liner for an error after two singles and a wild pitch. Brad Boxberger then entered and walked pinch hitter Nelson Cruz to load the bases with no outs.
However, Haniger lined out to third base, and Robinson Cano grounded into a double play to seal Boxberger's 29th save.
Jeff Mathis had two hits for the Diamondbacks, who begin a seven-game road trip when they face the San Francisco Giants Monday. Arizona will visit the Los Angeles Dodgers next weekend.
Seattle starter Mike Leake (8-8) gave up seven hits and five runs in six innings, with six strikeouts and no walks. He gave up two hits in eight scoreless innings at Oakland on Aug. 15 but had not pitched since, missing his last scheduled start because of illness. He has not won since June 23, a span of 10 starts.
Kyle Seager singled in an unearned run to give the Mariners a 1-0 edge against Greinke in the first inning. Haniger reached on shortstop Ketel Marte's throwing error to lead off the inning before Denard Span and Seager singled.
Arizona took control with a five-run third inning. Mathis, Greinke and Jon Jay singled to load the bases with one out before A.J. Pollock hit a sacrifice fly. Peralta beat out a dribbler toward second base for a single to drive in Greinke for a 2-0 lead, bringing up Goldschmidt.
Goldschmidt has four 30-homer seasons, three in the past four years. He had a career-high 36 homers in 2013 and matched that total last year.
Greinke passed Dennis Eckersley for 44th place in career strikeouts when he got Cano swinging in the first inning. Greinke has 2,407 strikeouts and is on pace to pass Luis Tiant (2,416) and Jamie Moyer (2,441) this season.
--Field Level Media