Phillies shut out D-backs for 5-game winning streak

PHILADELPHIA — Disgusted by their play, the Arizona Diamondbacks held a team meeting following yet another loss.

Josh Collmenter gave up four runs and six hits in six innings Sunday as the Diamondbacks lost their fourth straight and seventh in nine games, 6-0 to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Aaron Hill doubled and singled and Yasmany Tomas had two hits for the Diamondbacks, who fell to a season-worst six games under .500 at 15-21. Arizona has been shut out four times.

Collmenter (3-5), who was coming off the poorest outing of his big league career, said the Diamondbacks discussed what they need to do to improve in their next series.

“It was a frustrating series for everybody,” Collmenter said. “We just had a talk to what we’ll do in Miami to figure it out and get things working.”

Collmenter was coming off an 11-1 loss to Washington during which he allowed nine runs and eight hits in 1 1/3 innings.

“Not very good,” he said. “I just made bad pitches all day.”

Cameron Rupp hit a sacrifice fly in the second and Darin Ruf homered in the fourth for a 2-0 lead. Maikel Franco drove in a run in the sixth with his first big league triple, then scored on Cesar Hernandez’s single. Franco homered in the eighth, and Phillies capped their scoring on Ben Revere’s single.

“It was a tough series,” Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said. “They beat us every way they could, and we didn’t respond. We’re just going to have to go to Miami and figure it out.”

Sean O’Sullivan won a big league game for the first time since May 12, 2011, staying in after he was hit on the throat by a throw from Rupp, his catcher, to help the Phillies to their first five-game winning streak since last summer.

“I didn’t see the ball for one second,” O’Sullivan said. “It was like I got punched in the throat from around the corner.”

O’Sullivan (1-2) allowed five hits in six innings, struck out four and walked two. He turned to talk to his fielders in the sixth with two on and a full count, then as he pivoted to face the plate was struck on the throat with a throw by Rupp. Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg came to the mound and, after a brief delay and one warmup toss, O’Sullivan retired Hill on a flyout with his next and final pitch of the day.

“That could’ve been even uglier than it was,” Sandberg said. “It wasn’t pretty when it happened, but there was a little bit of humor afterward.”

O’Sullivan had a red mark just below his Adam’s apple. He said breathing was tough for the first “five-10 seconds” after getting hit and swallowing still was difficult after the game.

“It was scary for a minute,” he said.

A 27-year-old right-hander, O’Sullivan had been 0-9 with a 7.19 ERA in 13 starts and five relief appearances since winning at Yankee Stadium for Kansas City on May 12, 2011. His was the longest winless streak in the majors since Pittsburgh’s Radhames Liz defeated the Chicago Cubs on April 23 for his first win since Sept. 14, 2008, according to STATS.

O’Sullivan saw a reference to the winless streak on the Phillies’ website after his prevuious start.

“I was like, oh man, I have to get a win here,” he said.

FRANCO UPDATE

Franco homered off Randall Delgado leading off the eighth. The third baseman, who is 3 for 12 with two RBIs since being called up Friday, made a diving catch on Jordan Pacheco’s liner for the second out in the ninth with two on.

“It’s so great, awesome,” Franco said. “I’m happy the team is playing real well right now.”

BILLINGSLEY TO DL

The Phillies placed RHP Chad Billingsley (right shoulder strain) on the 15-day DL following the game. Billingsley (0-2, 6.75) has made three starts in a comeback bid after missing two seasons due to a pair of right elbow operations.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Diamondbacks: Hill returned to the lineup after not starting Friday or Saturday due to illness.

Phillies: Sandberg didn’t start left-handed hitters Ryan Howard and Chase Utley against the right-handed Collmenter. Carlos Ruiz, the third position player remaining from Philadelphia’s 2008 World Series team, also had the day off. Howard pinch hit in the seventh and singled.

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: RHP Rubby De La Rosa (4-2) takes the mound for Arizona against Miami RHP Dan Haren (4-2) on Monday. It is the first career start against the Marlins.

Phillies: LHP Cole Hamels (3-3, 3.53) looks to win his third straight start when the Phillies travel to Colorado to face RHP Jordan Lyles (2-3, 4.30). Hamels has a 1.29 ERA in his last two games, and he is 3-3 with a 3.62 ERA in eight starts versus the Rockies.