Godley strikes out 10, D-backs move back atop NL West

By JOSE M. ROMERO

PHOENIX (AP) _ Zack Godley matched a career high with 10 strikeouts, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks over the Texas Rangers 6-0 on Tuesday night to move back atop the NL West.

Arizona (60-49) overtook the Dodgers (59-49) for first place when Los Angeles fell 1-0 to Milwaukee. That came hours after the Diamondbacks added relievers Brad Ziegler and Jake Diekman via trades just ahead of the non-waiver deadline. Diekman was acquired from the Rangers and was driven from one clubhouse to another by Arizona’s bullpen cart.

Godley allowed two hits and improved to 12-6. He struck out the leadoff batter in each of his seven innings.

Nick Ahmed hit a two-run double as part of a three-run fourth inning to give Godley more than enough support.

Rangers starter Bartolo Colon (5-10) was knocked around for five runs and seven hits in five innings. Colon was bidding for career win No. 246, which would have given him the most career wins for a pitcher from Latin America, but came up short in his fifth attempt at the record.

A.J. Pollock’s first-inning homer cleared the high wall in center field, his 15th of the year and the 24th that Colon has allowed.

Arizona took a 2-0 lead on Paul Goldschmidt’s two-out double to drive in Jon Jay in the third inning, then Ahmed made it 4-0 in the fourth when he lined his double into the left field corner to score Steven Souza Jr. and Daniel Descalso.

Jay singled in Ahmed before the inning ended, and Ahmed raced home on a wild pitch in the sixth to make it 6-0.

The Rangers’ four-game winning streak came to an end.

BIG LEAGUE DEBUT

Left-hander Jeffrey Springs came on for Colon in the sixth for his major league debut after being called up from Triple-A Round Rock earlier in the day. Springs allowed a run on one hit, a walk and a wild pitch, but recorded his first three career strikeouts in two innings of work.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: RHP Chris Martin was activated from the 10-day disabled list after the trade of Diekman and pitcher Keone Kela to Pittsburgh.

Diamondbacks: OF David Peralta was held out of the lineup with right shoulder tightness for the second straight night. … RHP Shelby Miller was transferred to the 60-day disabled list with elbow inflammation as part of the roster move to make room for Ziegler. … LHP Andrew Chafin was placed on the paternity leave list.

UP NEXT

Rangers: RHP Yovani Gallardo (5-1) faces Baltimore at home on Thursday after Wednesday’s day off.

Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke (12-5) pitches the opener of a four-game series against San Francisco on Thursday. He’s 12-2 in 18 career starts against the Giants.

More News