Josh Lindblom might have just been erased from Seth Etherton's Christmas card list.

Etherton, the Albuquerque starter who has won just one game since
June 12, left Thursday's game against Iowa with a 1-0 lead after throwing seven scoreless innings of two-hit baseball, a pitching line almost unheard of in the hitter-friendly Isotopes Park.

Lindbolm (2-2) quickly surrendered four runs (three earned) off three hits and a pair of walks in the eighth inning, leading to a 4-2 victory for the Cubs.

While no Cubs player had a multi-hit game or an extra-base hit, first baseman Bryan LaHair had a two-RBI single in the eighth that proved to be the difference.

Albuquerque's 1-2 punch of leftfielder Jay Gibbons and first baseman John Lindsey each had two hits in the middle of the lineup and are now hitting .340 and .381, respectively.

Iowa reliever Mitch Atkins (6-2) picked up the victory after allowing one earned run in three innings of work.

After winning six of seven games following the July 14 Pacific Coast League All-Star Game, the Isotopes have now dropped six of their last eight and fall to 53-51 on the year.

Iowa improves to 59-47.

The two teams conclude their four-game series tonight at Isotopes Park.