Rockies pitching prospect Eddie Butler tossed seven shutout frames, extending his scoreless innings streak to 22⅔ innings in Double-A Tulsa's 2-1 victory on Sunday.
Butler allowed only five hits and a walk while striking out three batters. He threw 58 of 93 pitches for strikes and induced 10 ground outs while outdueling former Rockies farmhand Chris Jensen, who surrendered two runs on six hits in seven innings. Dustin Garneau and Tyler Massey had two hits apiece and Jared Simon singled, walked and drove in a run.
The Drillers remain a game and a half in front of Arkansas at the top of the Texas League's North division on the strength of their 16-11 record away from home.
Tourists lose despite 11 hits
Correlle Prime had three hits -- including a triple -- and David Dahl had a pair of knocks from the top of the order but Low-A Asheville's bullpen squandered a two-run lead in the ninth inning in a 6-5 loss.
Starter Johendi Jiminian earned his third quality start of the year, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk in six innings. However, Troy Nieman -- who doesn't get scored upon often -- surrendered a run despite not giving up a hit in two innings and Trent Blank gave up three in the ninth, including a bases-clearing walk-off double that was aided by a throwing error from shortstop Emerson Jimenez.
Valaika held hitless
For the first time since his debut with High-A Modesto, infielder Patrick Valaika failed to get a hit. Valaika went 0-for-3 with a walk but did drive in one of the Nuts' three runs in their 4-3 loss. The 21-year-old UCLA product is hitting .407 since being promoted to the California League and .377/.414/.578 overall this season.
Sean Dwyer, Matt Wessinger and Francisco Sosa had two hits a piece and Derek Jones hit his fifth home run of the season. Starting pitcher Ryan Carpenter, a 23-year-old left-hander out of Gonzaga who spent the last three seasons in the Rays organization, allowed three runs on seven hits in 5⅓ innings. He struck out five and didn't issue a walk.
Friedrich shelled in loss
Christian Friedrich allowed six runs on eight hits -- one of which was a grand slam off the bat of Cubs prospect Javier Baez -- in 5⅔ innings in Triple-A Colorado Springs' 7-3 loss. Friedrich struck out seven batter and walk only one, but that lone free pass hurt him as it came with two outs in the fifth and loaded the bases for Baez.
Jason Pridie had three hits atop the Sky Sox lineup. Tim Wheeler added a pair of hits -- including a double -- and knocked in a run. Rob Scahill allowed a solo home run in 2⅓ innings of work but racked up five strikeouts while allowing a pair of hits.