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Goldschmidt, Collmenter keep D-Backs alive vs. Brewers

Oct 5, 2011 - 5:45 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Rookies Paul Goldschmidt and Josh Collmenter came up big on Tuesday night for the Arizona Diamondbacks, who staved off elimination with an 8-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of their National League Division Series.

Goldschmidt hit a grand slam in the fifth inning and tied a Diamondbacks postseason record with five runs batted in.

The 24-year-old Goldschmidt hit the first grand slam in Diamondbacks postseason history and became only the second MLB rookie since 1998 to hit one in the postseason (Ricky Ledee for the Yankees in '99).

Collmenter (1-0), who went 10-10 with a 3.38 ERA in the regular season, gave up one run on two hits over seven innings -- a Corey Hart homer and Jerry Hairston Jr. single. He struck out six and walked two.

"That's what the coaching staff is asking ourselves is why is this guy so tough," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said of Collmenter's success against Milwaukee. "But you're right, we haven't hit him three games now, and just two hits off him. We didn't square up too many other balls, Corey Hart lined out to third. Besides that, we didn't square up a lot of balls."

Shaun Marcum (0-1), who went 13-7 with a 3.54 ERA in the regular season, allowed seven runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings for the Brewers, who won the first two games by scores of 4-1 and 9-4.

Game 4 of the best-of-five series is Wednesday night, again at Chase Field. Randy Wolf pitches for the Brewers and Joe Saunders for Arizona.

Collmenter worked out of a minor jam in the first inning. After putting men on first and second with two outs, the young right-hander struck out Rickie Weeks.

The D-Backs gave Collmenter all the support he would need with two runs in the home first. Willie Bloomquist led off with a single, stole second and scored on Miguel Montero's two-out double off the wall in center. Goldschmidt followed with an RBI single to right.

Hart made it a one-run game with a homer to left-center field in the third.

Arizona got the run right back in the home half of the frame. Aaron Hill and Justin Upton worked one-out walks. Montero knocked in a run with a single up the middle.

The Diamondbacks broke the game open with a five-run fifth. Collmenter and Bloomquist singled to start the frame. Two outs later, Montero was intentionally walked to load the bases. Goldschmidt stepped to the plate and crushed a fastball over the wall in right. Marcum tossed his glove in the air as he watched the ball sail over the fence.

"Once you get two strikes you can't be up there guessing," Goldschmidt said. "You are trying to fight and put something in play and luckily I was able to get it good enough and it barely got out."

Kameron Loe was called in from the bullpen. Chris Young greeted him with an infield single and moved to second on Hairston's throwing error. Young stole third and crossed the plate on Ryan Roberts' base hit to center for an 8-1 edge.

Collmenter retired nine straight batters before giving up a leadoff walk to Nyjer Morgan in the sixth. He went on to retire the final six batters that he faced.

David Hernandez and J.J. Putz pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth, respectively, to seal the victory.

Game Notes

The Diamondbacks went 51-30 at home in the regular season, while the Brewers went 39-42 on the road...Marcum was 8-3 with a 2.21 ERA in his 16 starts away from Miller Park this year...The Brewers are trying to secure their first trip to the League Championship Series since 1982, when they beat the Angels in the ALCS before falling to St. Louis in the World Series...Milwaukee left five men on base.