Posted at: 06/30/2009 4:00 PM
By: Albuquerque Isotopes Media Relations

O-Royals rout 'Topes 9-0

A five-run sixth inning doomed the Albuquerque Isotopes (39-39) as they were shutout, 9-0, by the Omaha Royals (31-47) Tuesday afternoon at Rosenblatt Stadium. The latest shutout against the Isotopes is their 11th of the season, extending a franchise record set in the 2-0 loss to the O-Royals Monday night.

Isotopes starter Scott Elbert pitched well early, giving up just two combined runs in the third and fourth innings to give Omaha just a 2-0 lead, but the sixth proved to be much more difficult.

After John Buck and Kila Ka'aihue led-off the sixth inning with singles for Omaha, Travis Metcalf belted a ground-rule double to score the first run of the sixth. Mario Lisson followed with a sharp single to center, plating Ka'aihue and Metcalf, extending the O-Royals lead to 5-0. Lisson's single ended the day for Elbert who was relieved by Nick DeBarr. The next batter, Tommy Murphy, belted a 3-2 pitch over the right field fence for a two-run shot bringing the tally to 7-0, O-Royals. Elbert (1-1) pitched five-plus innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits while striking out six.

The only time Albuquerque had multiple runners on base against O-Royals starter Kyle Davies was in the first inning when Blake DeWitt and Jamie Hoffmann drew back-to-back walks but were unceremoniously stranded when Dee Brown popped-up to shortstop end the inning. The only extra base hit the Isotopes could muster in the game was a double in the fifth by Luis Maza. Davies (2-0) pitched six innings, allowed just five hits, walked two and struck out five 'Topes.

For the remainder of the game, Albuquerque was held in check by O-Royals relievers as the 'Topes compiled just one hit and a walk against Dusty Hughes and Albuquerque native Greg Atencio over the final three innings.

The O-Royals capped their scoring in their final two times at the plate when Scott Thorman tagged DeBarr for a solo home run in the seventh and J.R. House hit a double down the left field line to plate Irving Falu in the eighth inning off Claudio Vargas, bringing the final tally to 9-0 Omaha.