PHILADELPHIA – After launching the decisive home run off a Zack Greinke slider on Wednesday night, the Phillies’ Aaron Altherr acknowledged he was looking for an off-speed pitch in that situation.
As for why, he wouldn’t say, but the numbers suggest Greinke might have fallen into a pattern. The count on Altherr in that sixth-inning at-bat was 2-1. So far this season, Greinke has been in that count to a right-handed hitter 12 times this season and has gone to his fastball only twice.
Catcher Jeff Mathis said the Diamondbacks’ pitch selection tends to be more a matter of the particular batter they’re facing, but he said a pitcher never wants to become predictable.