Finger's Instant Replay: Phils 3, D'backs 0

BOX SCORE

A home run from catcher Erik Kratz helped soften the blow of losing All-Star backstop Carlos Ruiz for the next month (see story), but it was the reemergence of the old Roy Halladay that was the most encouraging for the Phillies in their 3-0 victory over the Diamondbacks on Saturday night at the Bank.

Kratz provided Halladay with all the run support he needed as the Phils’ ace tossed seven scoreless innings in his best outing since returning from the disabled list after the All-Star break. Additionally, Halladay’s gem snapped the Phillies’ two-game losing streak as they improved to 48-59.

Starting pitching
Halladay allowed just three hits and a walk in his seven scoreless innings. He threw 94 pitches, including 15 first-pitch strikes to the 25 hitters he faced and picked up five strikeouts. Saturday’s effort was the first scoreless outing for Halladay since opening day.

Halladay improved to 5-6 and his ERA dipped to 4.03.

D’backs’ lefty Joe Saunders lasted 6 1/3 innings, allowing both runs on six hits and a pair of walks.

Out of the 'pen
Josh Lindblom pitched a scoreless eighth inning, notching a pair of strikeouts, while Jonathan Papelbon tossed a scoreless ninth inning for his 24th save of the season.

At the plate
Kratz drove in the Phillies’ first two runs with his solo homer in the third and a bases-loaded walk in the fourth inning. He also got the Phillies out of the eighth inning by throwing out Gerardo Parra attempting to steal second base with a laser throw from his knees.

Dom Brown also added an RBI single in the eighth inning to give the Phils a bit of breathing room.

The Diamondbacks had just two base runners make it to second base, one which came on Stephen Drew’s one-out double in the sixth inning.

Transactions
Before the game the Phillies placed All-Star catcher on the 15-day disabled list with a torn plantar fascia tendon. To take Ruiz’s spot on the 25-man roster, the team recalled infielder Hector Luna from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Up next
The Phillies and Diamondbacks finish the three-game series on Sunday afternoon when Cliff Lee (2-6, 3.73) takes on righthander Trevor Cahill (9-9, 3.75). Lee heads into the outing after shutting down the Washington Nationals last Tuesday, allowing no runs on five hits with seven whiffs in seven innings during the 8-0 victory.

In four career starts against the Diamondbacks, Lee is 3-1 with a 3.21 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 28 innings.

Cahill has faced the Phillies twice in his career (1-1, 3.26), including an outing earlier this season when the Phillies roughed him up for four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

E-mail John Finger at jfinger@comcastsportsnet.com