Rays-Diamondbacks Preview
PHOENIX -- Zack Greinke gave up three hits Tuesday.
Paul Goldschmidt got three.
It was the scenario the Diamondbacks envisioned when they signed Greinke to a six-year, $206.5 million free-agent deal in the offseason, and it played out perfectly in a 5-0 victory over Tampa Bay on Tuesday.
Greinke threw his first shutout since July 13, 2013 and Goldschmidt was a triple short of the cycle when the D-backs evened the series at one game apiece while breaking the Rays' four-game winning streak.
Arizona (26-35) will attempt to win its third home series in the last four Wednesday afternoon, when right-hander Archie Bradley faces Jake Odorizzi. The Rays (26-31) will attempt to finish their 10-game road trip at .500 after losing three in Kansas City but taking three of four in Minnesota.
Greinke (8-3) gave up three singles and two walks and did not permit a runner as far as second base while striking out two. He needed only 104 pitches while winning his fourth game in a row and dropping his ERA to a season-low 3.84. He has thrown 16 consecutive scoreless innings.
Greinke recorded his 150th career victory, joining Bartolo Colon, CC Sabathia, John Lackey and Justin Verlander as the only active pitchers to reach that milestone. Five of Greinke's last six wins have come after Arizona losses.
Bradley has won two of his last three starts, and has made two quality starts since joining the starting rotation for good on May 29, after right-handers Shelby Miller and Rubby De La Rosa were placed on the disabled list.
Bradley has given up eight hits and four runs while striking out 19 in his last two outings, a 6-3 victory over San Diego on May 29 and a 2-1 loss at the Cubs last Friday.
Odorizzi threw a career-high 120 pitches in his most recent start Friday, going six innings in a no-decision, and manager Kevin Cash said the Rays will monitor him accordingly. Starter Matt Andriese, whose next turn falls on an off day Thursday, will be in the bullpen Wednesday in case he is needed.
"He (Odorizzi) has had a pretty good workload his last two, three starts, so we'll definitely take that into the decision as to how the game is being managed," Cash said.
Goldschmidt has raised his batting average to .272, the highest it has been since the first week of the season, with a recent hot streak that included his three-hit game Tuesday, when he was a triple short of the cycle. He has reached base in 13 straight games, hitting .386 with five doubles, three homers and 11 RBIs in that stretch.
"Just trying to have some good at-bats and hit the ball," Goldschmidt "Just trying to be consistent, make some consistent hard contact, hard line drives. If you do that, things will take care of themselves."
Goldschmidt leads the majors in walks and is third in on-base percentage.
Tampa Bay third baseman Evan Longoria, who has a 10-game hitting streak and has five homers in his last five games, is expected to be back in the lineup after sitting out Tuesday. That broke a streak of 159 straight starts.
"I hate taking days off," Longoria said. "It is even hard for me to come to terms with them when I know I need them.