Washington Nationals avoid getting no-hit by Zack Greinke, but lose to Arizona D-backs, 5-0

Arizona Diamondbacks’ starter Zack Greinke took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning in the nation’s capital tonight, on a super-efficient 59 pitches, but gave up a hit in the first at bat.

Greinke and the D-backs were up 5-0 at that point, however, and he completed a seventh scoreless frame at just 71 pitches overall.

A rain delay ended Greinke’s outing in the eighth, but they resumed play after one hour and three minutes and the visiting team took the first of four with the Washington Nationals, 5-0.

Fedde vs Dbacks: In four turns in the rotation before tonight’s start vs the D-backs, Erick Fedde had a 2.70 ERA, seven walks, 13 Ks, and a .260/.341/.384 line against in 20 IP this season.

After starting off in the Nationals’ bullpen, when he was called up in late April, the 2014 1st Round pick moved into a starting role, and he’s done his best to stake a claim to a spot as the Nats have dealt with injury issues at the back end of the rotation.

Fedde struggled early tonight, however, giving up a leadoff double by Jarrod Dyson and back-to-back walks to Ketel Marte and David Peralta, loading the bases with no one out.

Adam Jones hit a sharp grounder to third in the next at bat, bringing in a run, 1-0, and an RBI single to left by Eduardo Escobar made it 2-0 Diamondbacks early in the series opener.

Alex Avila hit a 3-2 curve from Fedde over the left-center fence for a solo shot in the first at bat of the second, 3-0. Avila’s 5th.

Nick Ahmed doubled on an 0-2 curve in the first at bat of the fourth, took third on a ground out by Avila, but he was still standing there with two outs when Jarrod Dyson went down to get a 1-0 curve and hit it out to right for a two-run blast that made it 5-0. Dyson’s 5th.

Erick Fedde’s Line: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 2 HRs, 81 P, 59 S, 11/4 GO/FO.

Greinke vs the Nats: With six scoreless innings on the mound last time out before tonight, D-backs’ righty Zack Greinke lowered his ERA from 3.09 to 2.87 in 87 ²⁄₃ IP overall on the season, over which he’s issued 14 walks, collected 82 Ks, and put up a .214/.246/.371 line against.

Greinke took the mound in Nationals Park with a 2-0 lead tonight and threw four scoreless and hitless on just 40 pitches, working around a one-out hit by pitch in the fourth, with an inning-ending DP after the first runner reached base for the Nationals.

He needed just 19 pitches between the fourth and sixth innings, leaving him at 59 total after six hitless, but Trea Turner sent a sharp grounder to first on Greinke’s 63rd pitch in the first at bat of the seventh, and D-backs’ first baseman Christian Walker made a diving play to get it but bobbled the ball and couldn’t collect it in time to make a throw. #TGTNH

Adam Eaton singled on a line drive to left in the next at bat, for a clean hit, but a double play grounder off Anthony Rendon’s bat and a grounder back to the mound by Juan Soto ended the starter’s seventh scoreless frame.

Greinke returned to the mound in the bottom of the eighth, but a 1-hour, 3-minute rain delay ended his outing...

Zack Greinke’s Line: 7.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 Ks, 75 P, 54 S, 6/5 GO/FO.

Rendon is Streaking: With a homer in his first at bat on Tuesday night in Chicago, Anthony Rendon extended his on-base streak to 27-straight games, over which the Nationals’ third baseman has gone 33 for 99 (.333/.450/.687) with seven doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 21 walks, and 15 Ks in 120 PAs.

Rendon and the rest of the Nationals were hitless through six innings against D-backs’ right-hander Zack Greinke, and after the starter gave up a hit (two actually) the third baseman hit into a double play which left him 0 for 3 on the night.

The streak is over, long live the streak.

BULLPEN ACTION: Matt Grace worked around a single by the opposing pitcher, Zack Greinke in a scoreless top of the seventh.

Grace came back out for the top of the eighth and worked a quick, 12-pitch frame that left him at 20 total after two scoreless.

D-backs’ righty Yoshihisa Hirano took over for Zack Greinke when the game resumed after a 1-hour, 3-minute rain delay, and got the final two outs of the eighth.

Trevor Rosenthal struck out the first two batters he faced in the top of the ninth (yeah, right, we know), and a fly to right ended a scoreless, 14-pitch frame.

D-backs’ righty Archie Bradley came on in the bottom of the ninth and worked around a two-out single by Trea Turner for a scoreless frame. 5-0 AZ final.

Nationals now 31-37