PHOENIX -- D-backs general manager Mike Hazen said one of the reasons he didn't pursue a starting pitcher before Tuesday's non-waiver Trade Deadline was because he had great confidence in his rotation.
Zack Godley showed why as he tossed seven outstanding innings Tuesday night in a 6-0 win over the Rangers at Chase Field.
The win gave the D-backs a split in the two-game series and vaulted them past the Dodgers by one-half game for first place in the National League West.
Godley (12-6) allowed two hits and a walk while matching a career high with 10 strikeouts.
"Very well-played game in a lot of different areas, but I thought the whole thing was set up by Zack Godley," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "Seemed like he was just charging after them in every inning that he could. Just doing a great job sequencing, locating -- great outing and we needed it."

It was a good outing that Godley needed as well.
The previous two starts for the right-hander were not ideal as Godley had some trouble throwing to bases and allowed eight runs over 10 2/3 innings.
Tuesday, though, he looked dominant as he was able to land his put-away curveball.
"I thought it was the fastball command, the sinker/cutter combination," Lovullo said. "He was getting ahead of everybody. He seemed to be very comfortable, getting a leadoff hitter out per inning. I think that's the key for every pitcher and it doesn't happen sometimes."
Both Lovullo and Godley said it was likely the pitcher's best performance of the year or at least since he shut out the Giants for seven innings while striking out nine April 9.
"I think since the month of April this is probably my best outing," Godley said. "I felt good, I located my pitches really well and getting some weak contact, which is awesome. I just had a good feel for all of my pitches."
The D-backs offense gave the right-hander plenty of support, collecting seven hits off Texas starter Bartolo Colon (5-10).
A.J. Pollock got the scoring started with a solo homer in the first while Paul Goldschmidt had an RBI double in the third and Nick Ahmed added a two-run double in the fourth.

That was more than enough for Godley, who along with Zack Greinke, Patrick Corbin, Robbie Ray and Clay Buchholz forms a rotation that Hazen believes is strong enough to get his club to a second straight postseason appearance.
With that in mind, the GM instead pursued bullpen help in the form of Brad Ziegler and Jake Diekman.
"We have a pretty high functioning rotation, in our opinion," Hazen said. "One through five, it's pretty deep."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Though they held a 2-0 lead heading into the fourth, the D-backs had yet to blow the game open. With runners on first and second, Ahmed changed that by hitting a Colon pitch into the left-field corner for a two-run double.
"He made some really good pitches on the corners," Ahmed said. "I was able to battle to 3-2 to get one more in the middle of the plate."

LAMB INJURY UPDATE
After seeing three orthopedic surgeons, D-backs third baseman Jake Lamb has been diagnosed with fraying in his injured left shoulder. Lamb hurt the shoulder in April and then reinjured it last Thursday while diving for a ball against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Lovullo said that no determination had been made on a course of action, with the choices being the conservative route of rest and rehab and the other being surgery. If Lamb has surgery, he would be out for the rest of the season. If he tries rehab, Lovullo said there's a chance he could return later in the year.

SOUND SMART
Godley struck out the first batter in each of the first seven innings he pitched, the only Major League pitcher since 1974 to accomplish that feat in a single game according to STATS LLC.
"It's always what you want to do," Godley said. "Being able to get the leadoff guy out is really big."

UP NEXT
After taking Wednesday off, the D-backs open a four-game series with the Giants on Thursday night at Chase Field. Ace Zack Greinke (12-5, 2.96 ERA) will get the start for the D-backs. The right-hander is on quite a roll over his last seven starts, going 6-0 with a 1.16 ERA. He has fanned 48 and walked five over that span. In 18 career starts against the Giants, Greinke is 12-2 with a 2.31 ERA.