Rockies 6, D-backs 1: Arenado punishes Arizona pitching
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Nolan Arenado continued his torrid spring on Tuesday, hitting two home runs in a single to power the Colorado Rockies to 6-1 victory over the Diamondbacks.
Arenado hit a solo shot off starter Anthony Banda in the first inning and another in the fifth off Arizona closer Brad Ziegler. He improved his spring average to .580 -- 29 for 50 with five home runs and only four strikeouts.
Charlie Blackmon also hit a solo home run for Colorado off Daniel Hudson in the sixth inning.
Banda was starting for the Diamondbacks because Chip Hale didn't want the Rockies to get another look at Zack Greinke, who will be Arizona's Opening Day starter against Colorado next Monday.
"These 3 games against the Rockies the week before we open up is not ideal," D-backs manager Chip Hale said, indicating that Patrick Corbin will also skip his Thursday start against Colorado in favor of a back-field outing at Salt River Fields.
Greinke got his work in Tuesday in one of those back-field intrasquad games. He threw "about 60" pitches, giving up six hits and one earned run while striking out four in 3 1/3 innings.
"Pretty good," Greinke said when asked how he felt. "I threw a lot of strikes, some really good off-speed pitches, some good fastballs. It was pretty good all the way around."
The plan was to ease off the number of pitches, he said, "kind of resting up for the regular season."
As for opening day, Greinke said: "I'm looking forward to it. I think I'm as ready as I will be."
STARTING TIME
Rockies: Colorado starter Chris Rusin threw 48 pitches as he tries to stretch his outings until he is able to make a deep run as a starter.
"I feel really good, no pain in my finger or anything," he said. "I wasn't thinking about it when I was out there, so that's a good thing. I can cross that off and not worry about it and just continue to get ready for the season."
Diamondbacks: Banda was brought up from minor league camp to make the start and allow Greinke to throw elsewhere. Banda allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits in four innings.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: RHP Shelby Miller makes his final spring start when the Diamondbacks play the Athletics in Mesa.
