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Collmenter goes for Arizona against Rockies

Jul 23, 2011 - 2:40 PM (Sports Network) - Josh Collmenter tries to follow up a brilliant effort his last time out this evening when the Arizona Diamondbacks continue a three- game series against the Colorado Rockies at Chase Field.

Collmenter won for the first time in five decisions on Monday against Milwaukee, as he scattered three hits and struck out seven over eight scoreless innings to improve to 5-5, while lowering his earned run average to 2.65.

"I think today was a culmination of everything that I can do as a pitcher," the right-handed rookie said. "I really had everything working and kept them off-balance."

Collmenter lost to the Rockies back on May 24 and is 0-1 with a 2.84 ERA against them in two appearances (one start).

Heading to the hill for the Rockies tonight will be righty Jason Hammel, who has lost three of his last four decisions. Hammel fell to 5-9 on the year on Monday against the Atlanta Braves, as he allowed six runs (four earned) and eight hits in five innings.

"That's the mystery that is Jason Hammel," said Hammel, whose ERA jumped to 4.36. "Every other time, you don't know what you're going to get ... I don't think I executed a pitch all night long. Even the one punchout I had missed it's spot by about a plate."

Hammel lost to the D'Backs the last time he faced them and is 3-2 in eight games (six starts) against them with a 2.95 ERA.

In Friday's opener, Aaron Cook finally secured his first win of the season, and the Rockies got three hits and two runs scored from both Dexter Fowler and Mark Ellis in an 8-4 win.

Seth Smith lifted the go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh inning. Fowler tripled in a run the following inning and scored on an Ellis base hit, as the Rockies bounced back from a 9-6 loss to Atlanta on Thursday.

Cook (1-5) allowed eight hits and four runs through six innings to snap his career-high five-game losing streak. He also had two hits and drove in and scored a run.

"He hung right in there and obviously gave us a very credible performance against one of their better starters, which is all the more reason why this is a very, very nice game to win, obviously," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said.

Daniel Hudson (10-6) was charged with 10 hits and five runs through 6 1/3 innings to lose for the first time since May 12. He had been 7-0 over his previous 12 starts.

"I just wasn't able to make a pitch when I needed to," Hudson said. "I really struggled out of the stretch, just couldn't get comfortable out of the stretch all night."

Geoff Blum clubbed a two-run homer for Arizona, which lost for the third time in four games.

Arizona is 6-4 versus the Rockies this season.