Greinke pitches into 8th inning as Dodgers blank Marlins
To earn his first win since May 5, all Zack Greinke needed was a lead.
The Los Angeles Dodgers finally gave him one Sunday, and Greinke pitched 7 2/3 innings for his first victory in his past 10 starts, beating the Miami Marlins 2-0.
Greinke (6-2) allowed four hits and held the opposition without a run for his third start in a row, extending his scoreless streak to 20 2/3 innings.
In the previous two outings he departed with the game scoreless, and this time he left leading 2-0. Greinke's reaction when the Dodgers scratched out their first run in the fifth?
"I think I saw him dancing on the inside," manager Don Mattingly said.
"I don't think about it too much," Greinke said. "One run is not too much. Two felt a little better, because then you could mess around a little bit with no one on base."
Adrian Gonzalez, who had three hits, drove in the second run in the seventh. Against Greinke and the Dodgers' bullpen -- and because of the Marlins' offensive woes -- a 2-0 lead proved more than enough.
Greinke came into the game with the lowest ERA in the majors and reduced it to 1.58. The right-hander's description of his season: "A little bit of luck, and a little bit of skill."
But Mattingly said Greinke's year has been comparable to the MVP season teammate Clayton Kershaw had in 2014.
"Every outing is really, really good," Mattingly said. "This year he has been sharp from the very beginning."
Greinke has an ERA of 1.59 over the past 10 games but is just 1-2 during that span because of poor run support.
Two relievers completed a five-hitter for the Dodgers' 11th shutout. Kenley Jansen pitched around a leadoff double in the ninth for his 11th save in 12 chances. That extended the bullpen's scoreless streak to 12 2/3 innings over five games.
The Dodgers, who took the rubber game in the series, have allowed 13 runs in their past eight games.
Jose Urena (1-4) pitched five innings, and a defensive misplay resulted in the only run he allowed.
The Marlins fell to 1-5 on their homestand. They were playing their second consecutive game without slugger Giancarlo Stanton, who is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks with a broken left hand.
Miami went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position and is 2 for 38 (.053) in those situations during the homestand. The Marlins are batting .203 in their past 11 games.
"We'd like to push some runs across and take some pressure off our defense and pitching," catcher Jeff Mathis said. "But you just have to keep grinding."
Josh Beckett, who won the clinching game of the 2003 World Series for the Marlins and tossed a no-hitter for the Dodgers, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. And in the early going, Greinke and Urena threw like Beckett at his best.
The Dodgers, who were hurt by defensive mistakes in their loss Saturday, benefited from a Marlins lapse in the fifth inning.
With runners at first and third and one out, Howie Kendrick hit a grounder to second that looked like a routine double-play ball. But shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria's relay throw to first was wide, and first baseman Justin Bour was unable to stay on the bag because of poor footwork, allowing Kendrick to beat the throw for a 1-0 Dodgers lead.
Gonzalez's double scored a run in the seventh.
The Dodgers won despite going 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position and stranding 12.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Dodgers: RF Yasiel Puig, back in lineup after missing three starts with a torn callus on his left hand, went 0 for 2 with three walks.
UP NEXT
Marlins: RHP Mat Latos (2-5, 5.49 ERA) is scheduled to start Tuesday against Giants RHP Ryan Vogelsong (6-5, 4.05).
Dodgers: RHP Mike Bolsinger (4-2, 2.95 ERA) is scheduled to start Monday at Arizona against RHP Allen Webster (1-1, 6.46).