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Zack Greinke keeps the scoreless innings coming in Dodgers’ 6-0 win

Dodgers starter Zack Greinke lowered his earned-run average to 1.39 for the season with eight scoreless innings against the Phillies on July 9. He struck out eight and gave up one hit.

Dodgers starter Zack Greinke lowered his earned-run average to 1.39 for the season with eight scoreless innings against the Phillies on July 9. He struck out eight and gave up one hit.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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The idea was, two aces. Harken back to the days of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. For the moment, it might be happening better than anticipated.

One night after Clayton Kershaw shut out the Phillies, it was Zack Greinke’s turn to act the pitching star.

Greinke extended his personal scoreless streak to 35 2/3 innings with eight scoreless innings Thursday in the Dodgers’ 6-0 victory over Philadelphia, giving up only one hit and retiring the last 21 consecutive Phillies.

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The only hit he surrendered was a single Ryan Howard softly dropped into left field. The hit came against a defensive shift that had no true third baseman, though it likely would have gone past the reach of Alberto Callaspo at third.

Greinke came in with the lowest earned-run average in the majors, and then lowered it to 1.39. He becomes the first pitcher since 1968 to enter the All-Star break with a sub-1.40 ERA and more than 100 innings pitched.

Greinke (8-2) is likely making himself a lot of money in the process. He has three years and $71 million remaining on his existing six-year deal, but can opt out after this season. He turns 32 in October.

In Greinke’s eight innings Thursday, he did not walk a batter and struck out eight. Howard was the Phillies’ only baserunner.

Joel Peralta gave up a two-out hit but pitched a scoreless ninth to complete the shutout, the Dodgers’ 13th of the season, tying them with the Giants for the most in the majors.

The offense was led by Yasiel Puig, who doubled in two runs in the fourth and added a two-run homer in the eighth. Puig came into the game batting .135 (five for 37) with runners in scoring position. It was his fourth home run of the season, and he had driven in only 10 runs entering Thursday.

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Adrian Gonzalez continued his recent hot hitting, knocking a two-run homer off the right-field foul pole in the sixth.

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