Cy Young winner unable to stop Colorado in 6-3 loss

Tonight is Brandon Webb’s Cy Young bobblehead night, in which the Diamondbacks will hand out figurines to the first 35,000 customers, and Major League Baseball will give Webb the 2006 Cy Young trophy.

Before Friday’s game, manager Bob Melvin estimated tonight would be better suited for the festivities for the Diamondbacks’ ace in order to avoid distractions before his Friday start.

It remains a theory.

Colorado got to Webb again in the D-Backs’ 6-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies before an announced crowd of 20,219 at Chase Field.

On Opening Day in Denver, Webb allowed five runs in five innings, but his teammates helped salvage a no-decision as Arizona won.

No such luck this time. Colorado’s meaty middle lineup kept hitting, while the Diamondbacks went hitless for the final four innings.

“We have to get to their starters,” said Eric Byrnes, who had the D-Backs’ last hit of the night, a two-run home run in the sixth that tied the game at 3-3. “We can’t expect to get to those guys late.”

Byrnes’ blast off Josh Fogg gave the D-Backs (7-4) momentum, but the Rockies immediately bounced back to give Webb his first April loss in 15 starts dating back to 2004.

A fielder’s choice and two-out walk in the seventh set the stage for Brad Hawpe, who turned on an inside fastball and ripped it just inside the first-base line past a diving Conor Jackson for a two-run double and 5-3 lead.

“That was the biggest pitch of the night,” said Webb, who had two guitars sitting in front of his locker and will receive another tonight from Fender. “I thought it was a good pitch. Those guys were killers. They were all swinging pretty good.”

Added shortstop Stephen Drew: “That’s a bad break. You can throw that pitch 10 times and (a hit) may happen once.”

Colorado’s bullpen did the rest. Jeremy Affeldt, Manuel Corpas, LaTroy Hawkins and Brian Fuentes didn’t allow a base runner after Orlando Hudson’s walk in the sixth.

Drew and Byrnes had four of the D-Backs’ five hits, and Byrnes drove in all three runs.

Colorado (5-5) jumped out to a 2-0 lead on RBI singles by Todd Helton and Matt Holliday, then added a run in the fifth on another Helton single.

Drew doubled in the third and scored when Byrnes singled to right, and Hawpe’s throw home was air-mailed into the stands.

Following Byrnes’ home run, a line-drive shot into the left-field seats, Hawpe’s double made it 5-3, and Holliday’s double off Juan Cruz added a run in the ninth.

It was Arizona’s first loss in a series opener in this young season.

“We were sluggish at the start,” he said. “We have to come back better.”

Melvin hopes a lineup change — likely an infusion of more left-handed hitters — against right-hander Aaron Cook will be the team’s “magic button” offensively.

The locker room doesn’t have a panic button.

“Their pitching is as good as anyone in the NL West,” Byrnes said. “We have to fight these next two days to get some runs.”