The Diamondbacks could use a strong start from Greinke from zhangzk's blog

DENVER — Zack Greinke http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , who relies more on guile these days but is still very effective, will start Tuesday for the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Colorado Rockies. (13-9, 3.08) after getting pounded 13-2 by the Rockies on Monday in the opener of a key four-game series. The Rockies (79-64) lead the National League West by 1 1/2 games with the Diamondbacks (76-68), losers of eight of their past 10 games, in third place, 3 1/2 games behind and four games back for the second NL wild-card spot.In his last outing Thursday, a no-decision against Atlanta, Greinke gave up a season-high tying five runs (four earned) in 5 1/3 innings. It was just the second time in 15 starts that Greinke allowed four earned runs, a stretch in which he’s 8-4, 2.40 with 20 walks and 90 strikeouts in 97 2/3 innings while holding opponents to a .211 batting average.Article continues below ...Overall, Greinke has 180 strikeouts Joe Carter Jersey , which ranks sixth in the NL, and just 37 walks in 181 1/3 innings, the fourth most in the league.“He’s smart, he knows hitters very well,” said Rockies right fielder Carlos Gonzalez, who has hit five home runs against Greinke, tied with teammate Trevor Story and Jason Giambi for the most Greinke has allowed to any hitter. “He knows how to keep you off his pitches. He nibbles a lot, and he gets calls because normally they’re really close. He’s going to try to be super fine or super far away from you. With a guy like him, we just got to be patient and at the same time, don’t miss that pitch (to hit) because that one pitch is all he’s going to give you (that at-bat).”Greinke is 2-0, 2.33 in three starts against the Rockies this year and 11-5 http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-b.j.-upton-jersey , 3.75 in 28 games (27 starts) against them. He’s 4-1, 4.20 in 11 games (10 starts) at Coors Field.Antonio Senzatela (4-5, 4.92) will start for the Rockies. He’s 2-4, 4.47 in nine starts since returning to the rotation July 3. Senzatela is 0-2, 6.75 in two games (one start) against the Diamondbacks this season and 0-3, 8.27 against them in six games (two starts). In his last start Wednesday against San Francisco, Senzatela allowed a career-high tying nine hits and three runs in five innings and ended up with a no-decision in Colorado’s 5-3 win.If the Diamondbacks have a save situation in the ninth, they won’t be turning to Brad Boxberger to get the final three outs. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo announced before Monday’s game that he has pulled Boxberger from the closer’s role. He has 32 saves in 39 chances, but in four games this month, Boxberger is 0-3, one-for-two in save situations and has allowed five hits Corey Kluber Jersey , three walks and six runs in two innings.Lovullo said he told Boxberger after Sunday’s game the Diamondbacks would rely on matchups in the ninth inning. On Sunday, Boxberger came on with the Diamondbacks leading Atlanta 5-4 and gave up two singles to start the inning and Ender Inciarte’s three-run homer.Lovullo said Boxberger was “on board” with the decision but obviously disappointed.“But at this point in time,” Lovullo said, “we just feel like we got to maximize every situation and every opportunity to get 27 outs. He’s still in that equation. It just might be done a little bit different.“It’s going to be done by matching up, trying to get through the situation the best that we can based on the hitters that are coming up and who’s available in the bullpen. With nine outs remaining, I typically was counting how to get through six outs. The only thing that will change is (I’ll) probably manage how to get nine outs because I was handing off that ninth inning to ‘Box.’ “ OAKLAND, Calif. — Having battled heavyweights for 10 consecutive games, the Oakland Athletics get a chance to enjoy the rivals knocking out each other when they open a three-game series against the last-place Texas Rangers on Friday night.Fresh from their first day off in three weeks, the A’s (84-57) will take the field 3 1/2 games behind Houston (87-53) atop the American League West.The Astros begin a tough series at Boston (97-44) on Friday night.Article continues below ...The A’s likewise find themselves 3 1/2 back of the New York Yankees (87-53) in the race for the top AL wild-card spot. Oakland won two of three from the AL East’s second-place team to slice one game off its deficit in a three-game series that ended Wednesday.The Yankees open a series at Seattle (78-62) on Friday. The Mariners are the A’s chief competition for the second wild-card spot, 5 1/2 games behind Oakland.In the Rangers, the A’s will be facing a team they’ve beaten in six of their last seven head-to-heads Ricky Vaughn Jersey , including a three-game series also in Oakland last month in which Texas suffered 9-0 and 6-0 defeats before rebounding with a 4-2 win in the finale.After having started Liam Hendriks and Frankie Montas a total of three times in their last seven games to fill voids created by injuries to Sean Manaea and Brett Anderson, the A’s will try someone relatively new, right-hander Chris Bassitt, against the Rangers on Friday.Oakland gave the 29-year-old a shot the last time the A’s played a non-contender — Aug. 26 at Minnesota — and Bassitt did his job, limiting the Twins to one run on four hits over 4 2/3 innings, setting the tone for a 6-2 win.It was his first start since July 11.Bassitt (2-3, 3.19 ERA) has faced the Rangers twice in his career, once as a starter, and has compiled an 0-1 record with an 11.25 ERA. He has not faced the Rangers since 2015.The A’s went 5-5 in their rugged 10-game stretch against the Astros, Mariners and Yankees. Their reward over the final 21 games — a cupcake-filled finish that includes six meetings with last-place teams and six with fourth-place squads.A’s center fielder Ramon Laureano assured that he and his teammates will remain focused even with the opponents having lesser credentials than those the team just got done dueling.“We just keep the same attitude,” the rookie professed. “Everybody stays hungry and keeps battling. We’re more hungry every day Michael Brantley Jersey , even when we win.”In Rangers right-hander Yovani Gallardo (8-3, 5.97), the A’s will see a veteran pitcher who beat them twice last season.That, however, merely improved the 32-year-old’s career record against Oakland in 11 meetings, including 10 starts, to 2-5 with a 4.47 ERA.The Rangers took advantage of a soft stretch in their own schedule, winning three of their last five against the Twins and Angels.Nomar Mazara was the big bomber for Texas, collecting three home runs and three doubles among eight hits in 19 at-bats (.421) in the five games.Adrian Beltre also had three homers, and Elvis Andrus added two homers in that stretch during which the Rangers totaled 33 runs.