PHILADELPHIA - The old Roy Halladay made a rare appearance for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Halladay gave up three hits over seven innings and Erik Kratz homered and drove in a pair, leading the Phillies to a 3-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.
Halladay (5-6) allowed just four runners and struck out five to earn his first win since May 17. The two-time Cy Young Award winner was winless in his previous five starts, including three after returning from a two-month stint on the disabled list.
"The last two games I feel things are going in the right direction," Halladay said. "I made some changes and it's nice to see the results, nice to see it pay off."
Josh Lindblom had two strikeouts in the eighth and Jonathan Papelbon finished off a four-hitter for his 24th save in 27 tries.
Joe Saunders (5-8) was the hard-luck loser for Arizona, which had its four-game winning streak snapped. The lefty allowed two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings.
The Diamondbacks had won 13 of 18 to get within two games of NL West-leading San Francisco.
"He's Roy Halladay," Saunders said. "You just turn the page and come back tomorrow."
Kratz, who filled in for All-Star catcher Carlos Ruiz after the Phillies learned they'll be without him for four to six weeks, drove a 2-0 pitch out to left for his fourth homer in just 24 at-bats to give the Phillies a 1-0 lead in the third.
Kratz came up with the bases loaded in the fourth after Domonic Brown worked a walk in a 10-pitch at-bat. Kratz also walked to force in a run and make it 2-0.
Then Kratz showed off his arm.
From his knees, he threw out Gerardo Parra trying to steal second to end the top of the eighth.
"He's been good for us, of course," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He's improved his hitting 100 percent since I saw him two years ago. He's strong, he's durable, he's hungry to play in the big leagues. I like everything about him."
Kratz joked about Manuel's comments regarding his hitting.
"It's a nice compliment. I guess I was a terrible hitter before," he said.
While Kratz had a breakout game, his batterymate looked like his old self. Halladay pitched like an eight-time All-Star instead of the guy who entered with a 4.33 ERA.
Halladay's velocity was up - he topped out at 93 mph in the first inning - and he threw an assortment of off-speed pitches and an effective cutter to keep the Diamondbacks off balance.
With the Phillies seemingly going nowhere this season, there's been talk that Halladay would be shut down early to rest for 2013. He wants none of that.
"I want to pitch. I'm here to pitch. I don't need rest."
Up next
• Who: D-backs at Phillies
• When: 10:35 a.m.
• TV; radio: FSAZ; 1490-AM
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