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Greinke Outduels Bumgarner in Battle of Aces
The Diamondbacks got the sort of start out of Zack Greinke that they were expecting when they signed the right-hander to a record contract in the offseason. Yasmany Tomás extended his hit streak to six games. Jake Lamb pinch hit and extended his to four, and Welington Castillo continued his road trip turnaround at the plate. All of this led the Diamondbacks to a 2-1 victory, extending their win streak to four games and putting placing them in a position to sweep a four game series against the division rival Giants on the road.
Related: AP Recap
Related: Castillo feeling better at the plate
Paul Goldschmidt may be off to a slow start, and the combination of Chris Owings and Socrates Brito may have thus far been underwhelming. However, the Diamondbacks have started to click. Zack Greinke has bounced back nicely from his opening frames. Yasmany Tomás has been hitting. Jake Lamb is showing more pop in his bat, and Welington Castillo seems to have turned things around since hitting the road. After the rough start, the Diamondbacks are now 8-8 and only 1.5 games behind the division leading Dodgers.
Diamondbacks Riding Tomás' Hot Streak
"We just have to keep him consistent," manager Chip Hale said. "He looks really good right now, but he is not a finished product. He is still working and he's going to get better and better."
What's Up with Greinke's Slider
Are Greinke's early-season struggles attributable to a change in the behavior of his slider?
La Russa: Lamb a Franchise Kind of Guy
Diamondbacks CBO, TOny La Russa has high praise for the emerging Arizona third baseman.
Diamondbacks Hoping Miller's Mechanics Fixed
The Diamondbacks' bullpen was pressed into unexpected early service the last time Shelby Miller took the mound. After showing increased velocity in side sessions and warm-ups, the team was expecting good things. Instead, the pitcher twice banged his hand on the mound during his follow through, forcing the hard-throwing right-hander to exit the game in the second inning. Miller takes the mound again today as the Diamondbacks look for a four-game road sweep of the San Francisco Giants.
Around MLB
Yankees' left-fielder Aaron Hicks showed off his arm, gunning down the Oakland Athletics' Danny Valencia on a 7-2 double play. The Statcast velocity on the throw? 105.5 mph, also known as the hardest throw of the Statcast era.
Cardinals to Re-evaluate Shirt Slogan Policy
When the Cardinals told Cubs' skipper, Joe Maddon that his shirts for charity were not acceptable by Busch Stadium policy, things got a bit contentious. The policy is now being reviewed and a new policy is expected to be in place by the beginning of the Cardinals' next home stand.