PHOENIX — Joe Panik hit a two-run home run, and Javier Lopez induced a bases-loaded groundout to end the game as the San Francisco Giants finally beat nemesis Zack Greinke in a 4-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Thursday.
Panik’s homer after a Span single in the fifth inning gave the Giants a 4-1 lead, and Lopez preserved their first victory over Greinke in 12 meetings. Greinke had been 8-0 with a 2.12 ERA against San Francisco, all the victories since 2014.
The Giants (19-18) had eight hits off Greinke to help Johnny Cueto (5-1) win the first matchup between the two big offseason free agent pitching signees.
Greinke (3-3) signed a six-year, $206.5 million contract this winter, and Cueto signed a six-year deal worth $130 million. Greinke has a 7.28 in five starts at Chase Field.
Cueto gave up two runs and eight hits in seven innings to lower his ERA to 2.97. He struck out nine and walked two.
Arizona loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth inning before Lopez, San Francisco’s fifth pitcher of the night, entered and got Jake Lamb to ground out to second base for his first save.
Buster Posey and Span had two hits apiece for the Giants.
Greinke gave up four runs and eight hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked three.
Jean Segura had three hits and Brandon Drury had two for Arizona (17-20), which lost its second in a row after a five-game winning streak.
Three of the first four Diamondbacks batters singled off Cueto in the first inning, and cleanup hitter Lamb drove in Segura for a 1-0 lead.
The Giants bunched four singles to take a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning. Matt Duffy, Posey and Brandon Belt singled to open the inning, with Belt driving in a run. Hunter Pence beat out a potential double-play grounder to drive in Posey.
Span singled and Panik hit his fourth homer of the season to lead off the fifth inning, making it 4-1 lead. Span had two singles off Greinke and is 13-for-40 against Greinke in his career.
Greinke doubled with two outs in the second inning, his 17th career double in 309 at-bats.
NOTES: Arizona RF David Peralta (right wrist) missed his fifth consecutive start. An MRI exam Thursday showed no structural damage and there is “nothing to be concerned about,” general manager Dave Stewart said. … The Giants added RHP Clayton Blackburn to the roster Thursday, giving them 13 pitchers for the four-game series at Arizona that began Thursday. The Giants optioned OF Jarrett Parker to Sacramento to make room for Blackburn, an indication that OF Angel Pagan (hamstring) is close to returning. Pagan has missed 10 straight games but did pregame work Thursday and is likely to start Friday, manager Bruce Bochy said. … Arizona general manager Dave Stewart, on a possible pursuit of former Giants RHP Tim Lincecum: “We don’t have any plans at this point.” The D-backs were among numerous teams that attended Lincecum’s throwing session in Scottsdale last Friday. … The street on the west side of Chase Field was renamed “Randy Johnson Way” in a ceremony Thursday, and Johnson threw out the first pitch.