Butler primarily hit third before being moved down in the lineup. He hit .247 with three home runs, five doubles and 19 RBI in 28 games batting third.

In terms of predictability, a .290-plus batting average for Butler ranks up there with the phases of the moon. He's done it each of the last four seasons, averaging .306 during that stretch. If you're looking for something to doubt, you can doubt the 29 home runs he hit last year. I tend to trust them considering they came at an age (26) when power breakthroughs are common, but at least with them you can point to track record as a reason they won't happen again.

But you can't doubt his batting average, not unless you choose to wipe the slate clean on every player, assessing them only on what they've done so far, which is a risky and ill-advised strategy that will likely result in a last-place finish. I'm just sayin'.

It was the third time in the slugger's major-league career he totaled five or more RBI, including a seven-RBI outing earlier this season at Philadelphia. He entered the game mired in a 4-for-35 rut with a .228 average and one RBI over his previous six games.

"Billy's one of the best hitters I've ever seen," Yost said. "I've seen a lot of really good hitters go into little slumps, and Billy's slumps are usually 0 for 9 or 0 for 10. But you also know that any day he's capable of breaking out and really carrying the team for a period of time. Billy's like a light switch. All of a sudden he can walk in, flip it, and there he goes."