Zack Godley puts claim in on Diamondbacks’ No. 5 starting job

So much for wondering who will replace Shelby Miller as the Diamondbacks’ No. 5 starter. After Wednesday, it’s Zack Godley’s job.

Godley, called up earlier in the day, pitched seven innings of one-run ball in Arizona’s 7-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers, allowing just four hits while striking out six and getting 14 ground-ball outs.

It was a dominant performance and one usually reserved for the other Zack on the pitching staff. Greinke, that is.

“On a night when we needed someone to step up, Zack Godley did a great job for us,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “Seven outstanding innings … what more could you ask for. Kept some very, very dangerous hitters off balance throughout the course of the day. … He controlled every inning for me.”

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Lovullo wouldn’t commit to Godley getting the ball again in five days – “We’ll sit down and talk about that,” he said – but whom else would he turn to?

Godley pitched well in his first Miller replacement start this year, allowing four hits and two earned runs in five innings of work against San Diego on April 26. But that was just the warm-up act for Wednesday.

After the Tigers scored their only run on three straight singles in the second inning, Godley retired 14 of the next 16 Detroit hitters. The Tigers didn’t have a hit after the third inning.

Godley was aided by a Diamondbacks defense that turned three double plays, but it was his pitches that put Arizona in the position to end those scoring threats.

“Everything was really working well,” Lovullo said. “The fastball command was at the bottom of the zone which probably created a lot of those ground balls.”

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Godley said throwing his change-up for strikes was key because it kept the Tigers off balance and enabled him to get ground-ball outs with his fastball.

What he wasn’t focused on: Whether the game was an audition for him to nail down the No. 5 job.

“That’s up to them to decide,” he said. “All I can do is continue to do what they ask of me. … It’s their decision. I’ll just keep trying to take advantage of the opportunities they give me.”

In addition to shutting down the Tigers, Godley might have had the most important at-bat of the night. He coaxed a two-out walk off Detroit starter Matthew Boyd in the seventh inning to load the bases, and A.J. Pollock followed with a two-run single to turn a tight 2-1 game into a 4-1 Arizona lead.

Thursday’s game

Pirates at Diamondbacks

When: 6:40 p.m.

Where: Chase Field (Roof hotline: 602-462-6262).

Pitchers: Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (3-2, 3.09) vs. Pirates RHP Gerrit Cole (1-3, 3.14 ERA).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Greinke has turned in four consecutive quality starts and is coming off a win, giving up just two runs in seven innings last Friday against the Rockies. … Over his last three starts, Greinke has struck out 27. … In four home starts, he’s 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA; Greinke is 6-3 with a 5.04 ERA in 10 career starts against the Pirates. … Cole has settled into a rhythm after giving up five runs in his season debut; he boasts a 2.37 ERA through six starts since that game. … His last time out, Cole gave up just one run off two hits through seven innings while striking out eight. … He’s struck out that many in three of his last four appearances.

Coming up

Friday: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Patrick Corbin (2-4, 3.89) vs. Pirates RHP Tyler Glasnow (1-2, 6.33).

Saturday: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (3-2, 3.83) vs. Pirates RHP Trevor Williams (1-2, 7.98).

Sunday: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (2-3, 4.14) vs. Pirates RHP Ivan Nova (3-3, 2.23).

Up next

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates are in the midst of a seven-game road trip that started in Los Angeles. Entering their finale against the Dodgers Wednesday, they had dropped three straight and five of their past seven. Most of their struggles have come on the road, and the team sits last in the NL Central. This is a young Pittsburgh team that has been regularly been in flux to start the season. Outfielder Starling Marte is serving an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. The Pirates are also without second baseman Adam Frazier (hamstring strain), third baseman David Freese (hamstring strain) and right-hander Jameson Taillon, who recently underwent surgery for suspected testicular cancer. Freese, who hasn’t played since April 24, still leads regulars on the team in a number of offensive categories including average (.321). Outfielder Andrew McCutchen was hitting .222 entering Wednesday’s game with five home runs and 15 RBIs. Pittsburgh’s 121 runs were second-fewest in the National League. The team’s 3.98 ERA ranked fifth.