Delgado solid, but D-backs blanked for first time

ATLANTA -- It took 79 games, but the D-backs finally failed to score.

Julio Teheran combined with a trio of relievers to shut out the D-backs, 3-0, in front of a sellout crowd on Chipper Jones Night at Turner Field.

The D-backs became the last big league team to be shut out this year, but that was of little consolation following their third loss in four games on this road trip.

"We didn't have much going," manager Kirk Gibson said.

They did, however, have right-hander Randall Delgado on the mound, and he helped keep his team in the game throughout his six-inning stint.

Delgado, who came to Arizona in January from Atlanta in the Justin Upton trade, scattered eight hits and allowed a pair of runs.

While he tried to treat it like he would any start, there were extra emotions for Delgado. Not only was he facing his former team for the first time, but he was pitching against Teheran, one of his best friends in the game and someone he came up with through the Braves' farm system.

"Of course," Delgado said when asked if it was strange facing Teheran. "I've been playing with him since a long time ago."

It was a similar challenge for Teheran, who struck out 10 and walked one over six innings to improve to 6-4.

"I was excited to pitch against one of my best friends and to pitch on Chipper Jones' day, so it was pretty exciting," Teheran said. "From the Minor Leagues we've been together, so it was pretty exciting. But I wasn't trying to think about it. I was trying to go at the game like any other, trying to compete and do my best."

Wins have been few for D-backs starting pitchers of late. Wade Miley was the last Arizona starter to record a victory, and that came against the Cardinals on June 5, a span that has reached 20 games.

The Braves grabbed a lead in the first when Jason Heyward doubled with one out and Upton followed with a single up the middle.

The only other run off Delgado came when he tried to throw two straight changeups to Andrelton Simmons to lead off the fifth. Simmons took the first one for a called strike, but he deposited the second one into the bleachers in left to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead.

"I played behind him, I know his stuff a little bit," Simmons said. "He fooled me the first time with a changeup, so the second time I was kind of ready for it."

The Braves added an insurance run in the eighth when Dan Uggla tripled and scored when pinch-hitter Reed Johnson laid down a successful safety squeeze.

The game marked the return of D-backs third baseman Martin Prado, who was also involved in the Upton trade. Prado was acknowledged by Jones during his pregame remarks, and he received a standing ovation when he came to the plate in the second inning.

Prado went 1-for-2 with a walk in the game.

"It was very emotional," Prado said of the ovations. "It was very special for me. Today they showed me everything I did for the team paid off."

Jones talked with Prado on the day the trade went down.

"I told him if I'm ever a manager or a general manager, I'm coming after him," Jones said. "Because he's the guy that helps you win 95 or 100 ballgames because of his versatility and because he plays [many positions] at an All-Star level. He's one of the best two-strike hitters in the game and he's intense. He has fire in his belly. He makes guys around him better."

The entire D-backs team was on the top step of the visiting dugout during the pregame ceremony to retire Jones' No. 10.

Jones singled out Prado and Delgado and also paid tribute in his remarks to Arizona hitting coach Don Baylor and third-base coach Matt Williams.