Express Can't Hold Late Lead as Isotopes Walkoff 7-6
May 15, 2016 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Round Rock Express News Release
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico - The Albuquerque Isotopes (20-18) scored five runs over the last three innings of play to claim a 7-6 walkoff victory over the Round Rock Express (18-18) in what was a wild affair in the desert on Sunday afternoon. RHP Carlos Fisher (3-1, 2.08) took the loss after failing to preserve a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the ninth, allowing a pair of runs on three hits.
Isotopes RHP Austin House (1-0, 6.35) collected his first win of the season thanks to a 1-2-3 ninth inning of relief.
After a scoreless first two frames, Texas Rangers OF Shin-Soo Choo made a splash in just the second at-bat of his rehab assignment with the Express. The inning started with a single from 3B Patrick Kivlehan before CF Delino DeShields drew a walk two batters later. Choo then stepped to the plate and launched a shot deep over the wall in left field for a three-run homer.
Albuquerque got on the board in the fifth as DH Jordan Patterson singled to open the frame. RF Noel Cuevas then smacked a sharp line drive to center field that skipped past DeShields, rolling all the way to the wall for a standup triple. Patterson scored easily on the play. 2B Jeff Bianchi later drove Cuevas home with a sacrifice fly, cutting the Round Rock lead in half after five innings of play.
The E-Train responded in the very next inning. C Brett Nicholas led off with a single before scoring on a long fly ball from LF Jared Hoying that dropped in center field for a double. The lead proved to be short lived as Albuquerque tied the game in the seventh. Patterson lined a triple into left field then came home on a Cuevas single. The right fielder was able to advance to second on a sacrifice bunt. In the ensuing at-bat, Cuevas raced home on a throwing error by SS Jurickson Profar.
Things heated up in the eighth as the visitors regained the lead. Profar led off the inning with a monstrous home run to the deepest part of Isotopes Park. In the very next at-bat, Nicholas followed suit, launching a shot over the wall in center field, giving the E-Train a 6-4 lead and recording the team's first back-to-back homers of season.
Albuquerque grasped the momentum right back by striking out the side to close the inning. The 'Topes then cut into the deficit in the bottom of the frame thanks to a 1B Ben Paulsen double and a C Tom Murphy triple in consecutive plate appearances.
The drama continued in the ninth as SS Joey Wong singled to start the late rally. A sacrifice bunt from Bianchi moved Wong to second, then 3B Rafael Ynoa doubled to score Wong, tying the game at six. After intentionally walking CF Mike Tauchman, Fisher recorded a big strikeout of LF Brandon Barnes. The punchout proved to be inconsequential as Paulsen lined a single into center field, scoring Ynoa from second to give the Isotopes the 7-6 walkoff victory.
The loss was Round Rock's sixth in a row, dropping the team back to .500 for the first time since April 19, 2015. The two teams will continue their series tomorrow evening at 7:35 p.m. LHP Michael Roth (2-1, 1.88) looks to stop the skid for Round Rock while RHP Jeff Hoffman (2-2, 2.16) is scheduled to get the call for Albuquerque.
Single game tickets are available along with season ticket packages and group discounts. For more information on the Express, visit www.RoundRockExpress.com or call (512) 255-2255. Keep up with the Express on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter!
Pacific Coast League Stories from May 15, 2016
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- Isotopes Retire Jason Wood's Number 19 - Albuquerque Isotopes
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