Tacoma snaps Aces' win streak

RENO - The Arizona Diamondbacks gave up a lot when they shipped reliever Tony Pena to the Chicago White Sox in early July for first baseman Brandon Allen.

Allen, though, is making the Diamondbacks' move look very good.

Allen and starting pitcher Travis Blackley were the only bright spots in Reno's 9-1 loss to Tacoma Thursday night before a crowd of 5,457 at Aces Ballpark.

Allen went 4 for 4 and drove in Reno's only run, while Blackley went five-plus innings, striking out seven and allowing just two earned runs.

The loss snapped the Aces' 11-game winning streak against Tacoma this season. Reno has won 12 of the 15 meetings with the Rainiers this year heading into today's season finale.

Allen stretched his hitting streak to a franchise record 14 games. He's hitting .378 with eight homers and 18 RBIs since joining the Aces.

"It's been a blessing to be able to come out and play everyday," Allen said. "I've been trying to stay consistent. My agent told me when I came here not to put pressure on myself."

If Allen felt any pressure coming to a new team, it hasn't shown. Manager Brett Butler said he didn't know anything about Allen before the trade, but he loves what he sees.

"He's had a couple (hitless games)," Butler said. "He's making adjustments everyday. Only time will tell how long he's here. Until then, we'll ride him into the sunset.

"We gave up quite a bit to get him. He's living up to it so far."

Allen seemed to be the only player able to solve lefty Chris Seddon, who improved to 7-5. Sparks High graduate Randy Messenger recorded his 21st save with an impressive four-out effort.

"He (Seddon) was throwing his off-speed for strikes," Allen said. "He was working both sides of the plate. We hot some balls hard."

For the first five innings, Reno's Blackley matched Seddon pitch-for-pitch. Blackley allowed five hits and Seddon four in that span.

Tacoma broke the shutout when Bryan LaHair, a former roommate of Blackley's, slugged a solo homer to right-centerfield, his 21st of the season. Prentice Redman singled, ending Blackley's night at 80 pitches.

"I felt good," Blackley said. "I got the ball up one time and he teed off on it. I'm not going to make excuses, but I slipped and it was more of an off-speed fastball."

Butler admitted he thought about yanking Blackley in both the fourth and fifth, but elected to leave him in. Of his 80 pitches, 52 were strikes.

"He pitched his tail off," Butler said. "He went longer than I expected. He wasn't really on a pitch count. He'd been a starter (in the beginning) and then threw well out of the bullpen."

Jason Urquidez came on and immediately gave up a single to Adam Moore, sending Redman to third. Redman, who went 3 for 5 and drove in five runs, scored when ex-Aces shortstop Josh Wilson grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. Urquidez struckout Oswaldo Navarro to end the inning.

Seddon worked out of a first-and-third, two-out jam in the sixth by striking out Ed Rogers. He fanned four and walked just one in his 89-pitch effort.

Urquidez worked a scoreless seventh and then turned the ball over to Tom Gordon, who is on a rehab assignment from the DiamondBacks.

Mike Wilson walked and advanced to third on a single by LaHair. Both runners scored on Redman's double to make it 4-0. Gordon retired the next three hitters.

The Aces finally got on the board in the bottom of the eighth against reliever Jesus Delgado when Rusty Ryal doubled and scored on Allen's single, his fourth hit of the day. Chris Roberson walked and Delgado struckout Luke Carlin for the first out.

Enter Messenger, who needed just three pitches to get Cole Gillespie to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Tacoma blew the game open with five runs in the top of the ninth off Abe Woody. The big hit was a bases-loaded triple by Redman.

NOTES: John Hester's 24-game hit streak at home ended on Thursday. He was hit by a pitch in the first inning and left the game in the third ... Reno ends the series with Tacoma today at 7 p.m. with Billy Buckner (5-3, 4.27) opposing Andy Baldwin (5-7, 4.94) ... On Saturday, the Aces open a series against the Colorado Springs Sky Sox.