Cortes' Eighth-Inning Homer Sends Aviators Past Isotopes, 5-4
PCL Albuquerque Isotopes

Cortes' Eighth-Inning Homer Sends Aviators Past Isotopes, 5-4

June 30, 2025 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release


Summerlin, NV - Carlos Cortes capped a monster week as he led off the eighth inning with a solo homer off Nick Anderson, and the Aviators earned a 5-4 victory in the series finale Sunday at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Cortes was 14-for-23 with three doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI in six games against Albuquerque.

Topes Scope: - The Isotopes went 2-10 over their series in Tacoma and Las Vegas, setting a new team low for worst record during a 12-game road trip (previous: 3-9 in June 2023 at Tacoma and Reno).

- Dating back to June 6, Albuquerque has lost 17 of their last 21 games, seeing their record slip from 28-31 to 32-48.

- Since Minor League Baseball moved to a six-game series format in 2021, this marked the fourth time Albuquerque won the opener before losing the next five contests (also: Aug 19-24, 2021 at Las Vegas; Aug. 23-28, 2022 vs. Round Rock; June 6-11, 2023 vs. Sugar Land).

- The Isotopes have lost five consecutive overall series to the Aviators, dating back to May 2023. Overall, Albuquerque is 12-32 in Las Vegas/Summerlin since May 13, 2018, spanning games against the 51s and Aviators (Mets and A's affiliates).

- Albuquerque set a new season-low with a five-game losing streak, a mark last reached from Sept. 14-21, 2024, a stretch that ended up reaching seven consecutive defeats.

- Zac Veen homered on the game's third pitch, Albuquerque's fifth leadoff blast of the season and Veen's second (also: April 30 vs. Salt Lake). Ryan Ritter owns the other trio: May 7 (at Oklahoma City), May 25 (at Reno) and May 27 (vs. Sugar Land).

- Veen is 11-for-17 with four extra-base hits in his last four games. Overall, he owns an eight-game hitting streak, his longest since a 10-gamer with Double-A Hartford in May 2023.

- Yanquiel Fernández powered a 473-foot two-run homer in the sixth inning, the second-longest of the season for Albuquerque. Keston Hiura blasted one that traveled 479 feet on May 27 vs. Sugar Land.

- Fernández has gone deep in back-to-back games for the second time in 2025 (also: April 9-10 at Sugar Land). Since May 16, Fernández is slashing .381/.428/.628 with 10 doubles, six homers and 22 RBI, along with 17 multi-hit efforts in 29 games across the timeframe.

- Warming Bernabel's 15-game hitting streak came to an end. Bernabel slashed .433/.446/.500 with nine-multi hit contests, and 24 of his 26 were singles during the stretch that established a new career-high. During this season, 12 different players have amassed at least a 15-game hitting streak in the PCL, three in an Albuquerque uniform (Bernabel, Miller, Ritter).

- Owen Miller also saw his 22-game on base streak reach its conclusion. Miller compiled a .344/.365/.521 slashline with nine doubles, a triple, two homers, 10 RBI and five stolen bases during the stretch.

- Albuquerque drew one walk, their 14th contest with one or fewer in 2025. Six of the 14 instances took place place during this 12-game road trip.

- Las Vegas hit three runs in the fourth inning (Davidson, Harris, Milone) off Tanner Gordon, marking the second time in 2025 an opposing team went deep a trio of times in a frame (also: May 7 at Oklahoma City - Ruiz, Rushing, Ward). Additionally, Gordon is the fourth Albuquerque hurler to allow three big flies in a game this year (last: Bradley Blalock, May 29 vs. Sugar Land).

- Logan Davidson and Brett Harris went back-to-back, the fourth set of back-to-back blasts surrendered by the Isotopes in 2025 (last: Shea Langeliers/Carlos Cortes, June 26 at LV - seventh inning).

- Sunday marked the fifth time Albuquerque allowed at least four home runs in a contest, and three of the instances have taken place in the last nine games at Tacoma and Las Vegas.

- The Isotopes pitching staff established new season-worsts for most runs (53), hits (82) and extra-base hits (31) given up in a series.

- Albuquerque has relented double-digit hits in seven consecutive games, their longest stretch since July 26-Aug. 7, 2024 (11 games).

- The Isotopes have posted an 8.00 ERA since June 6, the worst among all 120 full-season Minor League teams during the timeframe, with the next-highest being Salt Lake at 7.20. Albuquerque has also allowed the most hits (234) in the 21-game span, a .331 opponents batting average.

- Albuquerque dropped to 12-15 in contests decided by a single tally, losing three consecutive one-run games for the second time this season (also: April 6-9 vs. Salt Lake, at Sugar Land).

On Deck: The Isotopes return home for the start of a jam-packed six-game homestand, with the first promotion being a "Taco Tuesday." Gates open at 5:30 pm, and first pitch is slated for 6:35 as Albuquerque welcomes the El Paso Chihuahuas (Triple-A Padres).

Check out the Albuquerque Isotopes Statistics



Pacific Coast League Stories from June 30, 2025


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