Slumping Braves shut out at home
ATLANTA — Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo asked his team for a strong finish before the All-Star break.
Zack Greinke set the example.
The veteran right-hander added another road win to his impressive first half, allowing four hits in 7 2/3 innings while extending Atlanta’s offensive slump as the Diamondbacks beat the Braves 3-0 Saturday.
“He was fantastic,” Lovullo said. “Our guy, our All-Star goes out there and pitches into the eighth inning and really was in control every inning.”
Greinke (10-5), named to the National League All-Star team on Thursday as a replacement for the Chicago Cubs’ Jon Lester, has won five straight decisions. The 34-year-old pitcher has been especially strong away from home, winning five straight road starts since June 8.
Greinke had seven strikeouts, did not walk a batter and allowed no more than one baserunner in any inning Saturday. Even though he has not lost since June 13 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Greinke said he felt stronger than in other games, including his last start against San Diego.
“It felt good from the get-go,” Greinke said. “Way different from the last game. … My fastball was really good today. That kind of made all the other pitches better.”
Ketel Marte hit a sixth-inning homer for Arizona, which has won the first two games of the three-game series and has matched its 2017 team record of 53 wins before the All-Star break. The Diamondbacks began the day a half-game behind the firstplace Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
“I’ve asked these guys openly to make sure they come out and play good baseball before the break and coming out of the break,” Lovullo said. “It’s very important to us. I’m proud of them. They’re executing and playing good baseball. That’s the bottom line.”
The Braves, who have lost eight of 10, remained 1 1/2 games behind the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies.
An offensive slump is a big reason Atlanta fell out of first place this past week after holding at least a share of the division lead since May 31. The Braves have scored no more than two runs in six of their past nine games.
“You know you’re going to go through this,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We went a long time without experiencing it. We’re in a rut here, but you look up and we’re still in the thick of it. We’re still close.”
Brad Boxberger pitched around a one-out single by Nick Markakis in the ninth for his 24th save this season.
Braves left-hander Sean Newcomb, who didn’t walk more than three batters in any of his five June starts, has had control problems this month, walking 12 in three July starts. Newcomb (8-5) walked three of Arizona’s first four batters, setting up Steven Souza Jr.’s bases-loaded single to left field, and allowed three runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Newcomb threw 36 pitches in the long first inning. He regrouped to record 10 straight outs after Souza’s single before Chris Owings singled with two outs in the fourth and scored on a double off the left-field wall by Jeff Mathis.
Marte’s homer gave Arizona a 3-0 lead and knocked Newcomb out of the game.
Before the game, Braves closer Arodys Vizcaino was placed on the 10-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation for the second time in four weeks. Right-hander Peter Moyland was reinstated from the 10-day DL.
“It’s concerning, very much so, I think,” Snitker said.