PHOENIX (AP) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks answered quickly after

falling behind.

Troy Glaus highlighted a five-run second inning with a two-run

homer and Shawn Green and Tony Clark also connected, powering the

Diamondbacks to a 7-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday

night.

Craig Counsell drove in a run and Glaus also doubled for

Arizona, which avoided getting swept by Houston in a series for the

first time. The Diamondbacks scored more than three runs for only

the fourth time in 15 games.

"We needed to put something together," Glaus said. "You know,

we've had opportunities and we haven't taken advantage of them, and

today, fortunately enough, we were able to take advantage and

answer back."

The loss was just the second in 11 games and third in 18 for

Houston, but it allowed Washington to move within one game in the

wild-card race.

Arizona rookie Brad Halsey (8-7) remained unbeaten since June,

allowing two runs -- one earned -- on eight hits and a walk in six

innings. Halsey is 4-0 in six starts since an 11-3 loss to San

Francisco on June 28.

He also is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA against Houston this season.

"I like him," Houston manager Phil Garner said. "I think he's

going to be a real good pitcher. He's pitched two real good games

against us."

Jose Valverde got the final five outs for his third save.

The Astros scored on a sacrifice fly, groundout and Halsey's

fielding error.

Wandy Rodriguez (6-5), another rookie, lost for the first time

in four starts. He gave up six hits, including the homers by Glaus

and Green, and walked three while allowing six runs in five

innings.

The Astros took a 1-0 lead in the second, when Chris Burke

tripled with one out and scored on Humberto Quintero's groundout.

Arizona answered with five runs in its half.

Rodriguez walked Clark before Glaus hit his 22nd homer into the

left-field seats. Green walked and Luis Terrero and Koyie Hill

singled to load the bases, and two more runs scored on Rodriguez's

throwing error when the left-hander threw wide trying to pick off

Hill at first.

Halsey struck out, but Counsell hit an RBI single.

"They got some guys on and we had one bad play," second

baseman Craig Biggio said. "But, once again, they've got a good

team over there, and for us to come out here and take two out of

three, we'll take it."

Green made it 6-2 with a 418-foot shot that struck the

center-field wall above the yellow home run line leading off

Arizona's fourth.

The Astros had squeezed out a run in their half when Rodriguez

hit the first of three successive, two-out singles. He scored when

Lance Berkman's sharp liner back to the mound that skipped up out

of Halsey's glove was ruled an error.

Halsey finished the fourth by getting Morgan Ensberg on a called

third strike -- his second straight inning ended with the bases

loaded.

"Every hitter is a pretty big situation because they can all

hit it out of the ballpark, but obviously, with the bases loaded,

two outs right there, that was huge," Halsey said.

Halsey was lifted for pinch-hitter Chad Tracy with the bases

loaded and one out in the sixth. The decision looked shaky when

Tracy grounded into a double play, and reliever Lance Cormier gave

up a run in the eighth.

Cormier, who worked a scoreless seventh, got one out in the

eighth before hitting Burke and allowing a double by pinch-hitter

Jose Vizcaino. Valverde allowed a sacrifice fly to pinch-hitter

Orlando Palmeiro before striking out Willy Taveras.

"It depends on where you are," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin

said about hitting for Halsey, who threw only 84 pitches. "We have

a chance to break it open, and I have a bullpen that's rested."

Clark homered against Chad Qualls in the eighth.Game notes
The Diamondbacks' five-run second ended their string of 18

consecutive scoreless innings. ... Arizona LF Luis Gonzalez made

all three putouts behind Cormier in the seventh inning, catching

two liners and Jason Lane's lofty fly. ... The Astros still went

4-2 against the Diamondbacks, winning the season series for the

second year. ... Biggio was hit by a pitch for the major

league-record 270th time in his career.