Phoenix, AZ – Phoenix, AZ (SportsNetwork.com) - Josh Collmenter faced the minimum 27 batters en route to a three-hit shutout -- the first of his career -- as the Arizona Diamondbacks downed the Cincinnati Reds, 4-0, in the opener of a four-game series Thursday at Chase Field.
Collmenter (4-2) struck out five without issuing a walk and joined Randy Johnson as the only Arizona pitchers to face the minimum over nine innings. Johnson accomplished the feat in his perfect game on May 18, 2004 against the Atlanta Braves.
The Arizona right-hander gave up leadoff hits in the third, fourth and sixth innings, but induced a double play directly after each hit to keep the Reds at bay. His performance marked just the 14th time in Major League history that a pitcher faced the minimum in a nine-inning game while allowing three-or-more hits.
"We played great defense and turned a double play here and there," Arizona catcher Tuffy Gosewisch said. "(Collmenter) was very efficient with fastball location and was able to miss the barrel a lot tonight."
Aaron Hill had three hits, including a solo homer, and drove in two runs, while Martin Prado went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored for the Diamondbacks, who have won two straight and three of their last four games.
Tony Cingrani (2-5) allowed three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits over five-plus frames to absorb the loss. Brayan Pena registered two of the three hits for the Reds, who have lost five of their last six games.
"We're going to be alright," Pena said. "We trust each other. We know that we're capable of pulling this together and that's what we're going to do."
A.J. Pollock provided Collmenter with some early support in the first, as the Arizona center fielder laced a leadoff double, stole second, and scored when catcher Devin Mesoraco's throw to third skipped into the outfield.
Pena doubled off Collmenter to open the third and tried to move to third when Zack Cozart followed with a flyout to center, but Pollock fired a strike to Prado, who applied the tag on Pena for the double play.
Billy Hamilton slapped a leadoff single in the fourth, but Collmenter induced a double-play groundout from Todd Frazier to clear the bases.
Hill led off the home half with a drive into the first row in left-center field to make it 2-0 before adding an RBI single in the sixth. In the top half of the inning, Collmenter induced his third double play of the game -- a 5-4-3 twin killing off the bat of Cozart -- in the top of the frame.
Arizona tacked on a run in the seventh on Prado's two-out single to right that scored Pollock, who tripled to right earlier in the inning.
Collmenter retired the final 11 hitters he faced in order to go the distance for the first time in his career.
Game Notes
Collmenter became the first pitcher to face the minimum while allowing three- or-more hits since Houston's Roy Oswalt on Sept. 11, 2008 against the Pirates (also three hits) ... Collmenter improved to 4-0 over his last seven starts ... Prado now has an extra-base hit in five straight games ... Pena extended his hitting streak to seven games ... Cincinnati was shut out for the sixth time this season.
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