Zack Greinke pitches Arizona Diamondbacks past slumping Houston Astros

PHOENIX -- Zack Greinke showed the Arizona Diamondbacks the value of a proven stopper.

The Houston Astros only wonder when their sudden burst of losing in an otherwise exceptional season will stop.

Greinke proved to be Arizona's close-down pitcher yet again, shutting out slumping Houston over 6 2/3 innings as the Diamondbacks beat the Astros 2-0 Monday night.

"That was Zack fashion," Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.

Run-scoring doubles by Ketel Marte and J.D. Martinez produced the runs on a night when the Diamondbacks' aggressive baserunning proved decisive.

Greinke, Jorge De La Rosa, Archie Bradley and Fernando Rodney combined for Arizona's sixth shutout of the season. The division-leading Astros, who lost for the sixth time in seven games and for the 10th time in 13 games, were shut out for the fifth time.

Greinke (14-5) allowed five hits and two walks while striking out nine. He won for the eighth time in a row following a Diamondbacks loss. Greinke hasn't lost in such a situation since April 24 and is 8-1 with a 2.27 ERA overall this season after an Arizona loss.

"He's a horse, he's a horse," said Martinez, who is seeing Greinke up close for the first time after being acquired in a trade with the Detroit Tigers last month. "It's the reason they give him the kind of money ($206 million) they give him. You don't trick people to give you that kind of money. He eats up innings and keeps guys off balance, and he never gives in."

Arizona leads the majors with a 10-1 interleague record this season, while Houston is 9-2. Greinke is 23-12 in interleague games during his career.

The Diamondbacks, remaining in a tie with Colorado for the NL wild-card lead, had dropped six of eight, including two of three to both the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs.

Greinke bounced back after his first loss at Chase Field this season, 3-2 to the Dodgers on Wednesday, and now is 11-1 at home in 2017. He was especially tough on AL batting leader Jose Altuve, striking him out three consecutive times -- only the fifth three-strikeout game of Altuve's career and his first since 2014. Altuve came in 9-for-18 against Greinke.

"I felt like I executed pretty good. I think I made a lot of good pitches," Greinke said. "I have four pitches that have been good all year instead of two, and I can play with them."

Greinke left following Derek Fisher's two-out single in the seventh, with De La Rosa coming in to strike out Juan Centeno. Bradley worked a scoreless eighth before Rodney earned his 27th save in 32 opportunities.

The Diamondbacks played some National League-style ball against a former NL team, stretching line-drive hits into the outfield into doubles multiple times. It was a useful weapon as Astros starter Collin McHugh (0-2) pitched effectively in his fifth start since a shoulder injury put him on the 60-day disabled list. He gave up two runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking one.

"They got a hustle double and another hustle double to get the first run across," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "They run the bases as aggressively as anybody. It was a challenge for (McHugh) because he knew he had small margin for error against Greinke."

McHugh got the first two batters in the second -- partly due to right fielder Josh Reddick's exceptional sliding catch of Martinez's line drive into the gap -- but Daniel Descalso hustled his way to a double on a line drive to right-center. Marte, reaching base for a 14th consecutive game, followed with a RBI double to right.

"It's a big outfield, a quick playing surface, and you feel like there's a chance that any ball that gets over the second baseman's or shortstop's head has a chance to be a double," McHugh said.

The Diamondbacks doubled up again in the sixth, as Paul Goldschmidt doubled with one out and Martinez stretched his line drive to center into an RBI double.

Jake Lamb also had two doubles for Arizona.

NOTES: Arizona manager Torey Lovullo gave Phoenix Suns coach Earl Watson a personalized Diamondbacks jersey before the game. Lovullo liked how Suns players such as Devin Booker supported Arizona RHP Archie Bradley when the reliever called out the many Dodgers fans as Chase Field, yelling, "This is our house!" ... Houston RHP Tyler Clippard arrived in time to be in uniform -- his seventh different one in three years -- after being traded by the White Sox. He pitched a scoreless eighth inning. ... Diamondbacks OF David Peralta was placed on the paternity leave list after his wife gave birth to a daughter. ... Arizona LHP Robbie Ray (concussion) will make a rehab start for Class A Visalia on Thursday. ... The Cubs-Diamondbacks weekend series at Chase Field drew 123,110, Arizona's largest since the team clinched the NL West against the Giants from Sept. 23-25, 2011.