“I know Scherzer has been really, really good”.
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Zack Greinke blanked the Philadelphia Phillies for eight innings and extended his career-high scoreless streak to 35 2/3 frames in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 6-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.
The Phillies were never in the game tonight or last night for that matter as the one-two punch of Kershaw and Greinke proved to be too much for the young team who posts the worst road record (11-34) in baseball to overcome. Puig knocked in four runs.
Greinke allowed just one hit, a single to the third base with the shift on in the second inning to Ryan Howard.
Reliever Joel Peralta worked a scoreless ninth for Los Angeles, allowing the Phillies’ second hit of the night to center fielder Ben Revere. Other than that, Greinke was ideal on the evening, pitching eight scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and no walks.
Greinke hasn’t permitted a run considering that June 13 at San Diego, when Justin Upton hit a go-ahead solo homer in the eighth inning to help the Padres beat him 2-1.
Even more impressive than Greinke’s scoreless innings streak is his league leading ERA, which was lowered, to 1.39.
“I’m just going to keep coming in and working, and hopefully things will turn around”. He had command, location and velocity and he makes it look easy at times.
Phils’ skipper Pete Mackanin was quoted after the game: “It was all Greinke”. Mattingly said he replaced Greinke because he saw no reason for him to pitch the final inning. Grandal went 8-for-12 in a four-game set in Milwaukee, including a 4-for-4 effort in which he homered twice and had a career-best eight RBIs. “Once we got to six, it didn’t seem like it was worth sending him back out”.
Greinke wanted to finish the job.
“I work a lot quicker when people aren’t on base”, Greinke said.
“I’m feeling better at the plate”, he said.
After scoring 14 runs in the initial two games of the series, Philadelphia’s offense disappeared. The Phillies failed to score after outfielder Jeff Francoeur homered in the seventh inning Tuesday in a 7-2 win over the Dodgers. Gonzalez (3-3) also hit a batter.Puig, who was batting.
Gonzalez walked Grandal with two outs in the fourth and hit Andre Ethier on the right arm with an -2 pitch just before Puig lined an -1 delivery into the ideal-field corner for a double that gave the Dodgers a 2- lead.
Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal felt the series meant a little more to Rollins than he was letting on.
Thursday, he was supported by home runs by Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig. It was Puig’s first home run since June 10th, ending a 24-game drought. It was Neris’ first runs given up on the season through 4.2 innings.
NOTES: Los Angeles LHP Clayton Kershaw’s bid for his fifth consecutive All-Star selection appeared to be in jeopardy Thursday. Kershaw might join him Friday, though he is fourth among five candidates to represent the National League in the “Final Vote” determined by online voting.
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The Dodgers are now tied with the San Francisco Giants for the most shutouts on the season with 13 and increase their division lead to 5.5 games over their rivals.
