Albuquerque - Left-hander Bruce Chen tossed a complete game shutout, piloting the Omaha Royals (26-42) to a 4-0 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes (33-35) Friday night at Isotopes Park. The southpaw carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Hector Luna collected the ‘Topes first hit, a single to right-center with two outs.
Chen (4-2) allowed just five base-runners, retiring the first 13 batters he faced and 20 of 21 before Luna’s knock. Besides a throwing error by shortstop Mario Lisson with two outs in the fifth, which spoiled an early bid at a perfect game by placing Dee Brown on first, Chen was aided by stellar defense. The shutout marks Chen’s league-leading third this season and the ninth handed to the Isotopes this year, tying a franchise record for number of times being shutout in a season.
While Albuquerque’s bats were baffled, Omaha backed Chen early, plating three in the fourth off ‘Topes spot-starter Dwayne Pollok (2-3). With two outs, Cory Aldridge connected for a three-run homer to left, plating J.R. House and Scott Thorman, who each singled earlier in the frame for a 3-0 Royals edge. Omaha picked up a single tally in the fourth when former ‘Tope Tommy Murphy delivered an RBI single to center, scoring Thorman, who led off the inning with a single and paced the Royals with three hits.
Omaha had the potential to break the game wide open on several occasions, but a quartet of ‘Topes relievers surrendered just one run in a combined five innings after Pollok’s departure in the seventh. Will Ohman struck out the side in the fifth despite allowing two walks while Carmen Cali and Nick DeBarr both wiggled out of bases-loaded jams in the sixth and seventh for a total of eight stranded base-runners over three innings. The ‘Topes pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts while nine of the 10 Royals hits were singles.
Meanwhile, Albuquerque simply could not catch a break against Chen or the brilliant Royals defense. In the seventh, Jamie Hoffman followed Luna’s single with a double to right, supplying Brown with runners on the corners with two outs. Chen coaxed Brown into a sky-high pop-up behind home plate, however, which House secured for a wobbly catch for the final out of the frame.
The ‘Topes also put two runners aboard in the ninth when Chin-Lung Hu denied Chen of his third two-hitter this season with a double to right. After a two-out walk to Luna, Chen sealed the win getting Hoffman to fly out to right as the Royals denied Albuquerque its fourth straight win.
                 The Isotopes will look to get back on the winning track tomorrow behind right-hander Miguel Pinagno (2-5, 7.43), who will take on Royals righty Matt Wright (0-3, 7.09) in a 7:05 PM first pitch from The Lab.   
                The ‘Topes’ big Father’s Day Weekend homestand rolls on with a Mini-Bat giveaway tomorrow and a very special Father’s Day celebration Sunday, complete with BBQ apron giveaway, pre-game father/child catch, and a jersey auction benefitting prostate cancer awareness.  Tickets for any Isotopes game may be purchased at the Isotopes Park Box Office, at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, or on-line at www.albuquerquebaseball.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
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