Pair of aces will be dealing for Diamondbacks, Giants (Sep 16, 2017)
SAN FRANCISCO -- Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zack Greinke and San Francisco Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner will continue their one-sided rivalry when the clubs meet Saturday night at AT&T Park.
The highly decorated veterans have gone head-to-head four times in their careers, with Greinke's team winning all four -- two as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers and two with the Diamondbacks.
Greinke beat Bumgarner in 4-2, 2-1 and 2-1 pitchers' duels from 2014 to 2016 before neither got a decision when the Diamondbacks scored twice against Giants closer Mark Melancon for a 6-5 win on Opening Day this year.
The matchup has gotten most interesting when Bumgarner has batted against Greinke through the years. The slugging Giant has belted two home runs in nine plate appearances, including one in the earlier duel this season.
Bumgarner also homered off Diamondbacks reliever Andrew Chafin in that game, and currently leads all pitchers with three home runs this season.
Greinke has allowed just three homers to pitchers in his career. The Kansas City Royals' Jason Hammel has the other.
Both of Bumgarner's homers off Greinke have come on the road.
Greinke will be making his seventh career start at AT&T Park, where he has never allowed a home run. He has gone 4-0 with a 1.66 ERA there, including a 2-1 win over Bumgarner last season.
The 33-year-old is an impressive 10-2 against the Giants in his career, sporting a 2.56 ERA in 16 starts.
Greinke has gone 2-0 in his last four starts, allowing just six runs in 26 2/3 innings.
He will be facing a Giants team that struggled against Diamondbacks left-hander Robbie Ray on Friday night. Ray struck out 10 in pitching Arizona to a 3-2 win.
The victory allowed Arizona (86-62) to retain a five-game lead over the Colorado Rockies (81-67) atop the National League wild-card race.
The Diamondbacks won the series opener without scorching J.D. Martinez, who was a late scratch because of a stiff neck. Fellow outfielder A.J. Pollock picked up the slack with a two-run double in the seventh inning that rallied Arizona from behind.
Martinez will be re-evaluated before Saturday's game.
"We're feeling good in the clubhouse," Ray said of the team effort. "It seems like guys are coming up big in situations where they need to. When we need a timely hit, we get it."
Bumgarner will be looking to rebound from one of the worst two-game stretches of his career. He was bombed for 11 runs and 15 hits, including four home runs, in 11 innings in his last two starts, both of which he lost.
Bumgarner is 9-9 with a 2.58 ERA in 29 games, including 28 starts, in his career against Arizona.
The last-place Giants have lost eight of their last 11 games, including the one that manager Bruce Bochy thought unnecessarily got away Friday night.
"It's been a tough year. Little things. That's why we're where we're at," he insisted. "We should have won this game."
