Former Yankee left-hander Brad Halsey threw seven shutout innings last night, and the Arizona Diamondbacks defeated the Mets 7-0.

Jose Cruz Jr. gave Halsey a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning with his sixth home run of the season, and Craig Counsell delivered two runs with a two-out single in the sixth. Then the Diamondbacks put it away with three more runs in the seventh.

Halsey (4-2) – who came to Arizona as part of the package that sent Randy Johnson to the Yankees – scattered six hits, striking out six and walking one. He pitched out of early trouble, getting the big outs when he needed them. Carlos Beltran and Mike Piazza, the third and fourth batters in the Mets lineup, each left five runners on base, four them in scoring position.

Mike Koplove struck out two in a 1-2-3 eighth and Jose Valverde worked a hitless ninth to finish the six hitter, Arizona’s third shutout of the season.

The Diamondbacks struck quickly in the first inning. Counsell opened with a single, the first of his three hits, and Cruz hit a 2-0 pitch from Kris Benson (3-2) into the Mets bullpen.

In the sixth, Arizona doubled its lead. Chad Tracy opened with a single and was safe on a fielder’s choice when Jose Reyes threw late on an attempted force play at second. Halsey bunted the runners to second and third, and Counsell singled them home.

Arizona added three more in the seventh against reliever Dae-Sung Koo on singles by Troy Glaus and Shawn Green, a sacrifice fly by Tracy, an infield single by Halsey, and a bases-loaded walk to Counsell.

The Mets threatened in the bottom half of the first when Reyes, who had three hits, opened with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice by Miguel Cairo. But Halsey got Beltran on a liner to third and struck out Piazza to end the inning.

Mike Cameron singled with one out in the second and stole second. Halsey then struck out David Wright and Doug Mientkiewicz, leaving the runner stranded.

The Mets loaded the bases in the third on hits by Reyes and Cairo, a double steal and a two-out walk to Piazza after Beltran struck out. This time Halsey escaped by getting Cliff Floyd on a grounder.

In the fifth, Counsell opened with a double and moved to third on Cruz’s long flyball. After Luis Gonzalez walked, Benson struck out Glaus and retired Green on a flyball that Beltran ran down in deep center field.

Reyes had his third hit and Cairo followed with his second – giving the Mets runners at first and second with one out in the fifth. Again, Halsey retired Beltran and Piazza on short flyballs to end the threat.

Beltran came into the game batting .340 against left-handers and Piazza was hitting .367 against them. Each was hitless against Halsey.

Piazza, who has had trouble throwing all season, bounced a throw to second on an attempted sacrifice in the second inning and was charged with an error.