Zach Greinke put on an absolute show in the Dodgers win on Saturday, tossing a complete-game shutout against the Colorado Rockies. The Dodgers apparently decided to take advantage of Greinke's superb start to rest their bats, giving him just one run of support.
He gave up just two hits and one walk, with nine strikeouts, in his nine innings of work. It was his first complete game, and the most strikeouts he has had in a single game this season. Greinke made quick work of the Rockies, the game lasted less than two hours and 20 minutes, and he needed just 110 pitches, while throwing only 30 for balls.
Zach Greinke has not exactly been Mr. Reliable for the Dodgers out of the second spot of the rotation. Sometimes his starts make you cringe, and other performances remind you why he won the Cy Young Award in Kansas City.
He has now thrown 16 innings of shutout ball, with just four hits and three walks with 16 strikeouts in his last two starts. Very encouraging considering he gave up a whopping 18 hits for nine runs in 12 innings combined from two starts prior.
The win brings Greinke to 8-2 on the season, but this is his signature hard-fought win because a single misstep or bad sequence of batters could have tied up the game. Before Saturday, he enjoyed 5.3 runs of support per start, giving him the chance to win games where he gave up four or five runs, or the assurance of runs to fall back on in a good start.
Tyler Chatwood of the Rockies also deserves recognition for his great start. He pitched an eight-inning, complete-game loss giving up four hits and two walks to the Dodgers for one run.
In the first inning Skip Schumaker hit a double, and Mark Ellis was hit by a pitch to put two runners on, with no outs, for Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez. Both of the Dodgers sluggers grounded out, but Schumaker managed to advance on each hit and score the Dodgers lone run of the game.
Sports
Get today's sports news out of Los Angeles. Here's the latest on the Dodgers, Lakers, Angels, Kings, Galaxy, LAFC, USC, UCLA and more LA teams.
A pitchers duel ensued the next 7.5 innings, featuring no runs and five hits combined from the two squads, as the Dodgers won 1-0. They are now 47-46, and guaranteed to go into the All-Star Break at least a .500 ballcub.
The Dodgers have now scored just one run in the last two games, with eight hits, which is the worst two-game stretch offensively for them this season.
Dodgers newcomer, Ricky Nolasco will be on the mound in the finale of the first half of the season against the Jhoulys Chacin of the Rockies.
