DENVER, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Curt Schilling was roughed up for nine runs and 14 hits Friday night and failed in a bid for his 24th win as the Arizona Diamondbacks suffered a 9-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies.
Schilling (23-6) is jockeying with teammate Randy Johnson for the National League Cy Young Award while trying to pitch the Diamondbacks to their second straight Western Division title. He had beaten the Rockies three times in as many starts, but was pounded early and late, scoring three runs in the first inning and four in the eighth to chase him.
Averaging better than nine strikeouts per start, the righthander managed a season-low three, raising his season total to 303. Schilling allowed eight earned runs, matching a career high for 1994 and '98.
Juan Pierre had four hits and Todd Helton, Todd Zeile and Brent Butler drove in two runs apiece for the Rockies.
Arizona's magic number for clinching the West remained at three.
Sean Lowe (5-2) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings to get the win. Justin Speier, Todd Jones and Jose Jimenez finished up with an inning apiece.
