Stephen Randolph did what he's normally done over the past month, but the Albuquerque Isotopes left-hander finally got the support he needed.

Randolph gave up a run over five innings, and a six-run sixth inning helped the Isotopes to a 9-1 win over the Omaha Royals in the series opener in front of a crowd of 9,052 at Isotopes Park in Pacific Coast League baseball Thursday.

Randolph (3-2) gave up just his second run in since moving into the starting rotation on May 30 on sacrifice fly by Kila Ka'aihue that scored Travis Metcalf in the fourth inning.

The three hits Omaha (26-41) collected were the most against Randolph in his four starts. He struck out five batters, while walking one.

Randolph started the season in the bullpen and had a 13.91 earned-run average (21 runs in 14 1/3 innings).

Albuquerque, which had scored a grand total of seven runs in Randolph's last three outings, scored twice in the second and once more in the third for a 3-0 advantage.

The Isotopes (33-34) made the sixth fruitful, as 10 batters stepped to the plate. The first four batters got hits, with Juan Gonzalez's two-RBI single making it 6-1.

A pair of rehabbing Los Angeles Dodgers — Will Ohman and Claudio Vargas — pitched the final four innings in scoreless fashion.

Vargas went the final three innings to earn his first save.

Right-hander James McDonald (1-0, 3.26 ERA) is expected to the mound for the Isotopes today.

The Royals will counter with lefty Bruce Chen (3-2, 3.80) in a 7:05 p.m. start.