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PCL Albuquerque Isotopes

Albuquerque Snaps Six-Game Skid with 9-7 Win over Sugar Land

September 1, 2022 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release


Sugar Land, TX - Despite allowing seven runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Albuquerque Isotopes made sure their losing streak would not extend another day. The Topes bullpen tossed 8.1 fabulous shutout frames, while a late trio of homers helped the club rally for a 9-7 victory over the Sugar Land Space Cowboys on Thursday night at Constellation Field.

Albuquerque's season worst-losing streak is over at six games.

The Isotopes (55-69) quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Carlos Pérez delivered a sacrifice fly, then Dom Nuñez singled home a run.

Sugar Land (59-66) jumped all over Albuquerque starter Zach Neal in the bottom of the first, scoring seven runs (five earned) and chasing him after just two-thirds of an inning. Pedro Leon's three-run homer was the big blow in the inning. Twice in the frame, Neal thought he had struck out a Space Cowboys batter looking to end the threat, but the hitter utilized the ABS challenge system and was successful on both occasions to prolong the frame.

Reigning PCL Pitcher of the Week Matt Dennis was excellent in long relief once again, working 3.1 frames of one-hit ball with no runs allowed.

Albuquerque immediately began their comeback in the second. Rehabbing Rockies outfielder Yonathan Daza tripled home a run, then Sam Hilliard came through with a two-run triple, making it a 7-5 ballgame.

With the Isotopes trailing 7-6 in the top of the eighth, the visitors changed the tone of the night with their thunderous bats. Tim Lopes and Bret Boswell led off the frame with back-to-back blasts, giving Albuquerque their first lead of the evening.

Montes provided insurance in the ninth with his 18th home run of the season. The bullpen parade of Dennis, PJ Poulin, Joel Peguero, Julian Fernández and Zach Lee combined for 8.1 scoreless frames with just two hits allowed to finish the evening.

Topes Scope: - The Isotopes rallied from their second-biggest deficit to win a game this season (five runs). Their largest deficit overcome was a seven-run hole in an 11-8 victory on June 12 at El Paso.

- Lopes and Boswell connected on the ninth set of back-to-back home runs for the Topes this season. LJ Hatch and Lopes most recently did it in the fourth inning on Aug. 23 vs. Round Rock.

- Albuquerque has hit 203 home runs which leads all of Minor League Baseball. Sacramento is next closest with 187. The only team in affiliated professional baseball with more homers than the Isotopes is the New York Yankees, who currently have 205. The Isotopes are nine long balls away from tying the 2019 squad for the most in club history (212).

- Montes hit his sixth home run on the road, compared to 12 at Isotopes Park. Three of his six away homers have come in Sugar Land.

- Hilliard's two-run triple gave him three RBI in two games for Albuquerque since returning from the Major Leagues.

- In his first rehab game, Daza finished 3-for-4, his first three-hit ballgame since July 3 vs. Arizona.

- Albuquerque has scored in the top of the first inning in seven of their last eight road games.

- Neal registered the shortest start of his affiliated professional career by recording just two outs.

- For the second time in just over a week, Albuquerque's bullpen worked 8.1 scoreless innings in a comeback victory. They also did so on Aug. 23 vs. Round Rock.

- Tonight was the fifth time an Isotopes starting pitcher was knocked out in the first inning due to poor performance. It happened to Frank Duncan twice (April 17 vs. Tacoma and May 5 at OKC) as well as Ashton Goudeau (July 22 vs. Sugar Land, Aug. 23 vs. Round Rock).

- Dennis has entered in the first inning in relief three times this season and has tossed a combined 9.2 innings with one hit allowed.

- In his last 10 appearances, Dennis is 3-0 with a 1.27 ERA (3 ER/21.1 IP) and just 12 hits allowed. The PCL is batting .171 against him during the stretch, in which he has lowered his season ERA from 8.80 to 6.42.

- Lee worked scoreless outings on consecutive days for the first time since July 8-9 at Round Rock.

- The Topes have allowed 130 runs in the first frame, the most in Minor League Baseball in 2022. Stockton (Oakland Low-A) is next with 122. Albuquerque allowed their second-biggest first inning, as Tacoma plated nine to start the game on April 17.

- Opposing base-stealers are 124-for-156 against Albuquerque catchers this season. Topes backstops have a combined CS percentage of 20.5%.

- Albuquerque earned their first victory on Sept. 1 since defeating Fresno 3-2 in 2015. They had lost their previous four contests on this date.

- The Isotopes played back-to-back nine-inning contests lasting over three hours since July 29-30 vs. Las Vegas (3:09 and 3:13).

On Deck: Albuquerque and Sugar Land will be back in action Friday at 6:05 p.m. Right-handed pitcher Karl Kauffmann is slated to start for the Isotopes against Space Cowboys right-hander Jimmy Endersby.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 1, 2022


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