Butler, Rockies stifle D-backs in middle game of series: By The Numbers

Eddie Butler’s first career start did not go according to plan back on June 6 — as he yielded five earned runs on 10 hits in a 7-2 loss against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Luckily for the 23-year-old, his second act went far smoother.

Butler threw six innings of one-run baseball in the Colorado Rockies’ 5-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks Saturday.

It didn’t hurt matters for Butler, either, that his mound counterpart, Trevor Cahill, struggled mightily at Coors Field.

Looking to rebound after a poor outing last Sunday — four earned runs allowed on five hits in an 8-6 win over the San Diego Padres — Cahill failed to find the form that made him a successful starter in the month of August.

In five innings of work, the right-hander allowed five runs on 10 hits.

Here’s a look back at the D-backs’ fourth straight loss by the numbers:

.111:

Cahill’s success against the National League West this season has been limited at best. With Saturday’s defeat, he fell to 1-8 (.111 winning percentage) in divisional games.

2:

Arizona came into the afternoon leading baseball with 47 triples, but it was on the wrong end of the three-baggers Saturday — as Corey Dickerson’s RBI triple put the Rockies on the board in the first and Charlie Blackmon’s triple set the table during a three-run third.

Blackmon has a season-high nine extra-base hits against the D-backs in 2014.

3:

Saturday’s outing marked just the third time Cahill has allowed three or more earned runs since rejoining the D-backs’ rotation on July 18.

4 Part I:

Arizona’s lone run came on a solo shot by rookie third baseman Jake Lamb in the top of the fifth.

The blast was the fourth of his big league career and second against the Rockies.

4 Part II:

Left-handed reliever Oliver Perez pulled off the four-strikeout inning in the seventh.

Perez punched out Justin Morneau to begin the frame, but strike three came on a wild pitch that allowed the former All-Star to advance to first.

The 11-year veteran was then called for a balk but settled down to retire Dickerson, Michael McKenry and Matt McBride consecutively on strikes.

Perez is the 69th different pitcher to pull off the feat.

Since 1998, the four-strikeout inning has taken place 43 times.

4/13/14:

Cahill offered up multiple home runs in a game for the first time since an 8-6 loss to the Dodgers on April 13.

5:

Cahill’s less-than-stellar performance also put an end to his five-game streak of allowing three runs or less on the road.

9:

With his leadoff single in the first, D-backs left fielder Ender Inciarte extended his hitting streak to nine games.

In eight of those nine games, Inciarte has lead off the game with a base hit.

16:

David Peralta (back) made his first start in 16 days. On the day, Peralta went 1-for-3 at the plate but misplayed a Morneau fly ball into a double in the bottom of the third.