Quick Hitters
Greinke wins 17th, D-Backs top Giants
SAN FRANCISCO — Zack Greinke pitched eight innings of twohit ball and Paul Goldschmidt hit a two-run homer as the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the San Francisco Giants 2-0 on Saturday night.
The Diamondbacks reduced their Magic Number for clinching a playoff berth to six as they won for the 20th time in 25 games and for the ninth straight time on the road.
The Giants have dropped four straight, seven of their last eight and 15 of their last 20. They will need to win at least half of their remaining 12 games to avoid their second 100-loss season in franchise history.
Greinke (17-6) struck out eight and gave up one walk as he moved into a three-way tie for the major league lead in victories with Clayton Kershaw and Zach Davies.
Goldschmidt homered with two outs in the top of the first with David Peralta aboard on a leadoff single. His 34th homer came on the first pitch he saw Madison Bumgarner (3-9), a 92-mph fastball the Giants ace left over the middle of the plate. Goldschmidt drove the ball well into the bleachers in left center field, a shot estimated at 438 feet by Statcast.
Bellinger hits 38th HR to help Dodgers beat Nationals
WASHINGTON — Cody Bellinger hit his 38th homer to match the National League single-season record for rookies, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Washington Nationals 3-2 Saturday to inch closer to the NL West title.
Chase Utley had two doubles and scored twice to help the Dodgers reduce their magic number to win the division to five. Los Angeles also moved seven games ahead of the Nationals in the race to secure home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.
LUBBOCK, Texas — Nic Shimonek threw for six touchdowns, receiver Dylan Cantrell had the goahead score on a 3-yard run in the final two minutes and Texas Tech beat Arizona State 52-45 in another high-scoring duel Saturday night.
Kalen Ballage had one TD for the Sun Devils after tying an NCAA record with eight scores in a 68-55 victory in the desert last year.
Manny Wilkins’ deep pass on fourth-and-30 was overthrown on the final Arizona State possession as the Sun Devils (1-2) fell short after rallying from 18 points down at halftime and 14 behind late in the third quarter.
The Red Raiders started 2-0 for the fourth time in five seasons under coach Kliff Kingsbury.
Cantrell already had two touchdown catches, a onearmed grab for a first down and a leaping catch on the 90-yard go-ahead drive when he took a handoff from Shimonek on a sweep and stretched the ball over the goal line just inside the pylon with 1:55 remaining.
Shimonek, who finished with 543 yards passing, had five scores at halftime after a one-hour weather delay before kickoff.
Cantrell had a careerhigh 160 yards receiving and Keke Coutee set career marks with 12 catches for 186 yards. Coutee had one score.