Former CMU ace shuts down Brewers in MLB playoffs
In 2007 Josh Collmenter was toeing the rubber for Central Michigan against Mid-American Conference opponents. Tuesday night he was hurling for the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Divisional Series.
And he was good.
Collmenter only allowed one run in six innings shutting down the Milwaukee Brewers offense, helping the Diamondbacks stayed alive with an 8-1 victory.
“I was able to really establish my fastball and keep them off balance,” Collmenter said in his postgame press conference. “Coming in I knew I had success against Milwaukee and I knew if I stuck to my game plan I’d have success.”
Collmenter is in his rookie season for Arizona. He’s started 24 games going 10-10 with a 3.38 earned run average.
Collmenter won the MAC Pitcher of the Year in 2007 and holds the CMU career record for strikeouts at 288 punchouts.
In his first playoff start, a fellow rookie helped him and the Diamondbacks win. Paul Goldschmidt hit a grand slam that gave Collmenter a nice cushion in the fifth inning.
“(Collmenter) has been doing that all year,” Goldschmidt said. “It’s fun to see.”
He became the first CMU pitcher to start in the MLB playoffs since Kevin Tapani in 1998 with the Chicago Cubs.
The Homer, Mich. native, Collmenter struck out six Brewers and only allowed two hits. He was asked how his hometown would react to his outing after the game.
“I’m sure there’s a lot of lights on at a time there usually aren’t lights on,” Collmenter said. “I’m sure there eating it up back there.”
Game four is Wednesday night. For Collmenter to have another start in the postseason, he’ll have to hope Arizona can win the next two games and go to the National League Conference Series.
“My goal was to come in here and give the team a chance to win,” Collmenter said.
