It’s hard to believe the heart of Eddie Butler’s run with the Colorado Rockies was five years ago already.
Coupled with the third overall selection of Jon Gray in the 2013 MLB Draft, it seemed the Rockies had a tandem of starting pitchers to lead the organization into the next decade.
If we’ve learned anything from Aesop and the fable of the milkmaid, don’t count your chickens before they hatch.
The 1st round pick out of Radford University in 2012, Butler was pegged as a can’t miss prospect following outstanding showings his first two seasons in the minors, jumping to the big league club with only one start in Triple-A.
The Virginia native made his MLB debut two years after being drafted, but the opportunity was short-lived.
On this date in 2015, the 24-year-old rookie tossed the first and only complete game of his career in a rain-shortened loss, 2-1, over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Butler allowed two earned runs in the first frame on an Adrián González double and Yasmani Grandal sacrifice fly before settling down at home.
Since the rains came following the fifth inning, making the game official, the occasion is also eventful as the shortest game in Rockies history at just one hour and 41 minutes.
According to Rule 4.10.(1)(c), a game is considered official if five innings have been completed.
Coincidentally, Butler would participate in two shutouts during his 28 starts in Denver, one of which came on this date in 2016.
In arguably the best start of his Rockies career, Butler would last six innings (tied for career-high with Colorado), surrendering four hits and walking two while striking out six before a quartet of relievers closed the book on the 2-0 win at San Francisco.
Butler would be dealt to the Chicago Cubs during the 2016-17 offseason and his career would take his trade to the Texas Rangers as well as the NC Dinos of the Korean Baseball Organization in 2019.
Owned by Atlanta
In 1993, Colorado blew a 6-0 lead in the 8th inning thanks to Sid Bream’s game-tying pinch-hit grand slam on Willie Blair; Otis Nixon scores on Jeff Blauser’s RBI-single to give Atlanta the go-ahead run in the Rockies 8-7 loss.
Happier Days
David Nied placed his name in front of his second combined shutout following eight innings as Mike Muñoz and Steve Reed finish of the rare 1-0 victory over the San Diego Padres at Jack Murphy Stadium in 1994.
Starting pitcher Jason Jennings tagged a homer against Greg Maddux in the fifth to tie the score and Jeremy Burnitz tacked the Cubs’ legend with the loss in Colorado’s 4-3 win in 2004.
Nearly a decade after Al Leiter tossed a no-hitter against Colorado, the boys in purple exacted revenge during an 8-3 victory over the Florida Marlins at Dolphins Stadium in 2005. Aaron Miles mashed a grand slam and Clint Barmes notched an inside-the-park home run.
Fun Fact
In 2014, Texas twirled a five-hit shutout against Colorado, but Nolan Arenado managed to single in his second at bat, extending his hitting streak to a franchise record 28 games, topping Michael Cuddyer’s mark set the year prior.
On This Day In Baseball History
The first all-women’s professional baseball team, the Colorado Silver Bullets, lose in their first official game, 19-0, against an independent league team of All-Stars in 1994. Comprised of several former MLB players, the men’s team is aided by a pair of home runs from two-time National League All-Star Leon Durham and a start from Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd.
