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PCL1 Albuquerque Isotopes

Aguilas slam not enough as Isotopes fall to sounds 7-6

June 4, 2006 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release


Outfielder Chris Aguila blasted a grand slam homer in a four-run ninth inning but it wasn't enough as the Albuquerque Isotopes (33-25) fell to the Nashville Sounds (33-25) 7-6 Sunday evening at Greer Stadium. Sounds first baseman Graham Koonce belted two home runs to send the ‘Topes to a sixth straight loss, a season high.

Down 7-2 in the ninth inning, the Isotopes mounted one of their classic comebacks. Paul Hoover led off the inning by reaching on a throwing gaffe by third baseman Vinny Rottino before Drew Niles drew a walk from Sounds reliever Chris Mabeus. After pinch-hitter Mike Colangelo grounded into a force out of Hoover at third, Robert Andino drew another walk to load the bases. Aguila then smashed a 2-0 offering from Mabeus off the signature guitar-shaped scoreboard in left-center at Greer Stadium to cut the lead to 7-6. The blast was Aguila's first since returning to the Isotopes from the Marlins and was the outfielder's fourth hit in two games against Nashville. That's as close as Albuquerque would get, however, as Mabeus struck out Jason Wood to end the game and give the Sounds the victory.

On the other side of the ledger, Nashville's Koonce hit a two-run homer in the third and added a solo shot in the fourth to help pace a Sounds attack that pounded out 12 hits on Isotopes pitching, 10 of which were inflicted on Isotopes starter Nic Ungs (6-5), who suffered the loss, his third straight, after allowing seven runs, six earned, while walking three and striking out two. Nashville hard throwing starter Dennis Sarfate (4-2) picked up the win after 5.2 innings in which he allowed two runs on four hits while walking five and fanning six.

Nashville came out swinging from the opening bell, scoring twice in the first frame. Kennard Bibbs dropped down a sacrifice bunt that was fielded by Ungs, who slipped and threw the ball away, allowing Tony Gwynn Jr to score all the way from second to open the scoring at 1-0 Sounds. Brent Abernathy then followed with an RBI single that scored Bibbs to make the score 2-0 Nashville.

The Sounds struck again in the third when Dave Krynzel led of the frame with an infield single and was immediately picked up by Koonce's first home run of the game, a blast deep to right-center field. Nashville was far from finished, as Brent Abernathy singled, scored on a double by Mark Johnson, who in turn himself scored on a double by Chris Barnwell to give the Sounds a 6-0 lead. Koonce then delivered ultimately the decisive blow in the fourth with a solo homer to right to give Nashville a 7-0 cushion.

The Sounds would need every bit of that cushion as Wood put the ‘Topes on the scoreboard in the sixth with a two-run homer to left that plated Aguila and made the score 7-2, setting up the ninth inning near comeback.

Albuquerque will look to stop the swoon tomorrow when right-hander Jeff Fulchino (2-3, 4.50) takes on Sounds knuckleballer Jarad Fernandez (1-1, 3.52) at Greer Stadium. Monday's game time is scheduled for 6:00 PM Mountain Time.

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