McPherson makes it seven straight

Friday was just another day in an amazing week for Dallas McPherson -- wake up, head to the ballpark, hit a home run.

McPherson tied a Minor League record by homering for the seventh consecutive game as the Albuquerque Isotopes dropped an 8-6 decision to the Iowa Cubs in the first game of a doubleheader at Principal Park.

With the Isotopes trailing, 6-0, in the fourth inning, McPherson sent his Minor League-leading 28th long ball over the right-field fence. He became just the fifth Minor Leaguer to homer in seven straight games, a feat last accomplished in 1997 by Dan Collier of the Tulsa Drillers.

The Major League veteran said he wasn't even aware of the record-tying homer until a reporter asked him about it after the game.

"I haven't thought much about it," he said. "It's a nice honor."

McPherson joined Claude Westmoreland, who homered in seven straight games for the Albuquerque Dukes in 1977, as the only PCL players to reach the milestone. He is 11-for-25 (.440) with 11 RBIs during the streak.

"I was leading off the inning and it was a slider or a cutter over the middle of the plate," McPherson said of the record-tying blast. "It was the first pitch of the at-bat. I didn't even realize it was a record."

Norman Munn (1912) and John Romano (1955) are the only other Minor Leaguers with seven-game home run streaks. The Major League record of eight games is shared by Dale Long, Don Mattingly and Ken Griffey Jr.

McPherson did not play in the nightcap, also won by the Cubs, 7-0, so his next chance to break the record will be Saturday in the fourth game of Albuquerque's six-game series in Iowa.

"They just wanted to give me a game off," McPherson said of sitting out the nightcap. "I've had some injuries here or there, so they just wanted to give me a little rest."

McPherson, who played 61 games for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2006, missed the entire 2007 season while recovering from back surgery. He became a free agent in December, signed with Florida and is making a case for a return to the Majors. Now fully aware of the history involved, McPherson brushed off any mounting pressure.

"I don't worry about this stuff too much," he said. "I just want to have some good at-bats, take some good swings and see what happens."

Iowa did most of its damage in the first, with Josh Kroeger's three-run homer highlighting a six-run outburst. Andres Blanco capped the inning with an RBI single.

Kroeger singled home Micah Hoffpauir in the fourth to extend the Cubs' lead to 8-1.

Iowa starter Justin Berg (3-4) walked seven and allowed three runs on three hits with four strikeouts over six innings.

Former Major Leaguer Bobby Keppel (5-5) took the loss, allowing eight runs on nine hits and five walks while striking out three over five innings.

John Baker homered and collected four RBIs for Albuquerque.