Advertisement

Zack Greinke extends scoreless streak in Dodgers’ win over Nationals

Dodgers starter Zack Greinke delivers a pitch during the third inning against the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

Dodgers starter Zack Greinke delivers a pitch during the third inning against the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

(Alex Brandon / Associated Press)
Share

Zack Greinke extended his scoreless streak to 43 2/3 innings Sunday in the Dodgers’ 5-0 victory over the Washington Nationals, but he might have lost his primary catcher.

Yasmani Grandal departed from the game in the sixth inning after a foul ball off the bat of Michael Taylor struck him on the mask. Grandal was escorted into the clubhouse by two Dodgers trainers.

Greinke nonetheless continued to dominate the Nationals, limiting them to three hits and a walk over eight shutout innings.

Advertisement

Greinke bettered Clayton Kershaw’s scoreless streak last year, which was 41 innings. He hasn’t given up a run in his last six starts.

Greinke’s streak is the longest in baseball since 1988, when Orel Hershiser set the major league record of 59 consecutive scoreless innings.

Sunday’s game featured the National League’s two best-performing pitchers: Greinke and Max Scherzer.

Greinke entered the game with a 1.39 earned-run average. Scherzer’s was 2.11.

The last time two pitchers with 100 or more innings and ERAs of 2.11 or lower started against each other was when Atlanta’s John Smoltz and Montreal’s Bryn Smith pitched on July 19, 1989.

Scherzer lasted only six innings and allowed one run.

The Dodgers’ solitary run against him was scored in the fourth inning when Scherzer uncorked a wild pitch. Catcher Wilson Ramos quickly retrieved the ball, but his throw to the plate sailed behind Scherzer, allowing Andre Ethier to score from third base.

The Dodgers extended their lead to 5-0 with a four-run ninth inning that included run-scoring singles by Ethier, A.J. Ellis and Yasiel Puig. Puig’s single to left field drove in two runs.

Advertisement

As for Grandal, he could be headed back to the seven-day concussion disabled list.

Against the San Diego Padres on May 22, Grandal was hit on the side of head on the follow through of Yangervis Solarte’s swing. Later in the game, a foul ball off Matt Kemp’s bat hit Grandal’s mask.

Grandal was placed on the disabled list the next day. He was replaced Sunday by Ellis.

Advertisement