SAN FRANCISCO -- Behind Rockies right-hander Eddie Butler's gingerbread beard is a baby face and mischievous smile -- one that will star in the Giants' nightmares when they hit the hay Monday night.
In 5 1/3 innings of the Giants' home opener, Butler gave up five hits, issued six walks and hit a batter. Yet not one runner scored, and Butler wound up with a strange but satisfying decision in the Rockies' second shutout of the season, 2-0.
Butler (1-0) stranded nearly all of those runners -- including loaded bases in the first two innings on grounders by Gregor Blanco and Angel Pagan, and runners at first and second in the third -- by forcing deflating ground balls.