Halsey, Relievers Shut Down Cubs

D-backs score enough to move two back of the Padres

By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- The Diamondbacks shook up their lineup in hopes of receiving more offense Thursday, but once again it was their pitchers who carried the day.

"They're coming on strong," right fielder Chad Tracy said of the staff that ran its scoreless streak to 18 innings. "Now it's up to us to do our thing, and there are a lot of ballgames to be won."

Tracy did his part, as his first-inning homer would have been enough given the way the pitchers threw, as Brad Halsey combined with a trio of relievers to shut out the Cubs, 6-0, in front of 39,154 at Wrigley Field.

With the win, the second-place Diamondbacks moved to within two games of the Padres in the National League West.

Capitalizing on scoring opportunities has been a struggle for the Diamondbacks all season, and in an effort to jump-start the offense, the club brought up top prospect Conor Jackson late Wednesday night. Also, Tracy was shifted from first base to right, while Shawn Green moved from right to center. Jackson, who pinch-hit in the seventh, will share time at first with Tony Clark.

Runs were still at a premium for Arizona, though, after Tracy's home run, as Cubs starter Jerome Williams was able to keep the D-Backs off the board before departing with one out in the sixth.

The Diamondbacks did have their chances, stranding nine runners through the first six innings. The 15 they stranded through nine innings tied a club record.

"We probably could have taken advantage of it earlier in the game when Williams was on the ropes, but we didn't come through there," Gonzalez said. "But Halsey pitched a great game and kept us in that game until we were able to crack through some of their bullpen and get some big hits when we needed it."

In his first trip to Wrigley, Halsey, who had a no-hitter through 5 2/3 innings in his previous start, got ahead of the Chicago hitters and allowed just four hits over six innings.

"Great place to play," he said. "The fans are great. There's a lot of history here in this ballpark. Just coming in here knowing how many great players have come through this clubhouse, it's definitely something special."

Halsey threw just 73 pitches and likely would have stayed in the game longer had his turn in the order not come around with two outs and the bases loaded in the seventh. That was one inning after he bunted into a force out at the plate with one out and the bases full.

"Boy, I'll tell you, Halsey was magnificent against a lineup that can hit left-handed pitching," D-Backs manager Bob Melvin said. "[It was] tough to take him out when we did. We had a couple of tough calls with him in back-to-back innings with the bases loaded. I needed him to go a little farther in the sixth, and ended up having to do it after that, but he gave us everything we needed and the bullpen came in and did a great job again."

At the time Halsey departed, the Diamondbacks held a 3-0 lead. It wasn't until the ninth, when they capitalized on three walks to score three runs off Michael Wuertz, that the game seemed safe.

"Fortunately for us, we were able to get some hits there at the end," Gonzalez said. "The game was a lot closer than what it looked like at the end."

Tim Worrell pitched a scoreless seventh, while Jose Valverde struck out the side in the eighth and Greg Aquino retired the Cubs in order to finish the ninth.

"Valverde once again comes out there throwing bullets," Melvin said of the reliever who has struck out eight of the last 10 batters he's retired.

While the lineup changes were made with the offense in mind, Tracy made a nice diving play in the fifth to rob Jeromy Burnitz of a hit.

"It was one of those you go for, and hopefully you get there," said Tracy, who has played sparingly in the outfield during his career. "It's still a work in progress out there. I'm going to have to put in some work and try to get better and I think it will be fine."

After watching him make the transition from third to first this spring, Clark, for one, thinks Tracy will do just fine in right.

"To make the transition from third to first as well as he did, I tip my hat," Clark said. "To make the transition from first to the outfield like he has, I tip my hat."