Polanco's HR Thwarts Greinke No-Hit Bid, Arizona Wins 2-1
PHOENIX (AP) — Zack Greinke's bid for his first career no-hitter was thwarted by Pittsburgh's Gregory Polanco's leadoff home run in the eighth inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks held on to beat the Pirates 2-1 on Thursday night.
Greinke (4-2), who dominated the Pirates with a vicious slider, allowed that one hit in eight innings. He struck out 11 and walked one.
Fernando Rodney pitched a scoreless ninth for his ninth save in 11 tries. The game ended when Jeff Mathis threw out Josh Harrison trying to steal second.
Greinke faced the minimum 21 batters through seven innings. Jordy Mercer led off the third with a walk but was thrown out by Mathis trying to steal second.
Gerrit Cole (1-4) allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings. He struck out five and walked one. Pittsburgh has scored five runs total in Cole's last five starts.
The Pirates, swept by the Dodgers in Los Angeles over the weekend, lost their fifth straight and ninth in 12 games.
Arizona's David Peralta doubled twice and made a diving grab in right field to rob Andrew McCutchen in the first inning.
Jake Lamb doubled in a run and Brandon Drury had an RBI single for the Diamondbacks.
Greinke dominated from the start and had nine strikeouts in the first five innings, most of them on sliders. McCutchen's' first-inning liner was the only ball to reach the outfield for the Pirates until the seventh inning.
Polanco hit Greinke's 2-2 pitch into the right field seats for his first home run of the season. Earlier in the at-bat, Polanco narrowly missed a homer with a towering foul ball to right.
Greinke has thrown one one-hitter, for Kansas City at Seattle on Aug. 30, 2009.
He was trying to become the third Arizona pitcher to throw a no-hitter. Randy Johnson threw a perfect game at Atlanta on May 18, 2004, and Edwin Jackson had a no-hitter at Tampa Bay on June 25, 2010.
The only no-hitter thrown at Arizona's Chase Field was by Jose Jimenez of Colorado on June 25, 1999.
TRAINING ROOM
Pirates: Utility player Adam Frazier, on the DL since April 24 with a left hamstring strain, began a rehab assignment this week with Triple-A Indianapolis. He started at second base on Monday night, going 1 for 3 with a double, walk and RBI. He played left field Wednesday night, going 2 for 3 with a walk.
Diamondbacks: RHP Shelby Miller underwent Tommy John surgery Wednesday in Los Angeles. The operation was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the team doctor for the Dodgers. ... RHP Jake Barrett (shoulder) ended his rehab assignment at Class A Visalia and was optioned to Triple-A Reno.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: LHP Patrick Corbin (2-4, 3.89 ERA), coming off a rough outing in Colorado, gets the start for Arizona and RHP Tyler Glasnow (1-2, 6.33) goes for the Pirates in the second game of the series Friday night.
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