Isotopes' Bats Overwhelm River Cats in 17-10 Series-Clinching Slugfest
August 11, 2024 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release
Albuquerque, NM - On Sunday evening, the Isotopes and River Cats treated fans in the Duke City to yet another wild offensive display. Sacramento's Grant McCray launched a three-run homer in the fourth to give his team a 10-5 lead, but the home team responded in a major way. Albuquerque plated the final dozen runs of the contest, eventually running away with a 17-10 triumph, as they took four of six games from the River Cats this week.
Elehuris Montero was 4-for-6, falling a home run shy of the cycle. Greg Jones, Jordan Beck and Hunter Stovall all finished with three hits, while Connor Kaiser's two-run triple in the seventh inning put Albuquerque ahead to stay.
Topes Scope: - The Isotopes scored their most runs in a contest since defeating Las Vegas 19-6 on Aug. 2, 2023. It tied for their largest offensive output against Sacramento (also: 17-16 victory; July 30, 2023).
- Albuquerque finished with 19 hits, their second-best total this season (most: 21, April 23 vs. Oklahoma City). It was the 16th time the club recorded a minimum of seven extra-base hits.
- Nolan Jones, Montero and Kaiser all tripled - the 27th occurrence in which the Isotopes recorded at least a trio of three-baggers in a contest, and the third in 2024 (also: March 31 vs. El Paso; May 14 vs. Sugar Land). It was the second time Albuquerque accomplished the feat against Sacramento, having done so June 17, 2017 at Raley Field (Noel Cuevas two, Rafael Ynoa one).
- Tonight marked the second time this season that four Isotopes players recorded at least three hits in the same game (also: April 23 vs. OKC: Beck, Hilliard, Goodman, Montes).
- This was the 103rd time in team history both clubs scored in double-digits, with 87 of the occurrences coming in the Duke City. It was the eighth instance against Sacramento, and the second time in three evenings, as Albuquerque won 12-11 on Friday.
- The Isotopes tied a season-high by overcoming a five-run deficit to win. They trailed Salt Lake 5-0 in the third inning on June 28, before prevailing 12-11, in 11 innings. Additionally, Albuquerque also mounted a comeback after behing behind 5-0 vs. Round Rock on this date in 2019, winning 6-5 on a walk-off homer by Dom Nuñez.
- Albuquerque claimed their fourth series victory of the season, and third at home (also: vs. El Paso, at OKC, vs. Tacoma). This marks the first time in club history the Isotopes won two consecutive home sets over Sacramento.
- For just the second time in 2024, the Isotopes won a game in which they did not homer. The previous occurrence came in their first triumph of the campaign, a 6-5 win over El Paso on March 30.
- Kaiser delivered Albuquerque's 18th go-ahead hit in the seventh inning or later this season, and his third (also: June 28 vs. Salt Lake, Aug. 9 vs. Sacramento).
- The six-run eighth inning marked the eighth time in which the Isotopes plated at least six in a frame (last: July 10 vs. Tacoma, six in the fourth).
- Montero tied a career-high with four hits, reached on 10 previous occassions, most recently on July 30 at Las Vegas. He has recorded 19 multi-hit performances in 30 games with Albuquerque this season. Montero had two chances to homer and complete the cycle, but singled and struck out, both plate appearances coming in the eighth inning.
- Nolan Jones was 2-for-4 with a two-run triple and three runs scored, as he hit safely for his third consecutive game since rejoining the Isotopes. Jones has reached base safely in 14 consecutive Triple-A games dating back to May 16, spanning three rehab assignments.
- Greg Jones recorded at least three hits in a game for the fourth time in 2024 (last: Aug. 3 at Las Vegas, 4-for-6). He is 13-for-37 with five doubles, four homers and 13 RBI in his last eight contests. Jones stole three bases in a game for the sixth time in his professional career (last: April 7, 2023 at Pensacola). He was the first Isotope to accomplish the feat since Wynton Bernard on Aug. 22, 2023 at Oklahoma City, and was one off the club record set by Reggie Abercrombie on May 6, 2007 at Memphis.
- Beck tallied his sixth multi-hit performance in his last eight games. He is 16-for-37 with a double and two long balls during the stretch. Beck reached base safely in 14 of 28 plate appearances against Sacramento in the series.
- Stovall recorded three hits for the fourth time in his last 15 starts, dating back to July 26. Stovall is 7-for-12 since Friday, with six of the knocks being singles.
- Yanquiel Fernandez was 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI singles, his second multi-hit game in three nights. Fernandez was 6-for-25, walking once and striking out five times during his first week in Triple-A.
- Karl Kauffmann allowed 10 total runs, tying a season-worst for an Isotopes hurler (also: Ponticelli, April 7 at OKC; Battenfield, May 31 vs. OKC). His seven earned tallies marked the ninth time Albuquerque's starter relented at least that many. Kauffmann has been on the receiving end of the damage on four instances.
- Six Isotopes relievers (Criswell, Gilbreath, Hartlieb, Justice, Bird, Rolison) combined to blank the River Cats over 5.1 frames of two-hit ball, with three walks and seven strikeouts.
- Albuquerque tied a season-high by using seven pitchers in a contest (also: April 12 vs. Sugar Land, May 5 vs. Round Rock, June 15 vs. El Paso, June 19 at Oklahoma City).
- Over the final three games in this series, the Isotopes and River Cats combined to commit 16 errors. Albuquerque's 106 miscues for the season rank second worst among 30 Triple-A teams (Norfolk, 109).
- The Isotopes pitching staff has allowed double-digit hits in 14 of their last 16 contests.
On Deck: Albuquerque heads on the road to begin a two-week visit to the Lone Star State, with series in Round Rock and Sugar Land. First pitch against the Express on Tuesday is set for 5:35 pm MT (6:35 CT).
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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 11, 2024
- Isotopes' Bats Overwhelm River Cats in 17-10 Series-Clinching Slugfest - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Lockdown Pitching Helps Sugar Land Walk It off in Series Finale - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Sugar Land Blanks El Paso, 1-0 - El Paso Chihuahuas
- OKC Wins in Shutout - Oklahoma City Comets
- Express Splits Series in Oklahoma City After Loss in Series Finale - Round Rock Express
- Solak Powers Tacoma to Victory - Tacoma Rainiers
- Walston Returns to Greater Nevada Field, Reno Drops Series Finale in 8-4 Loss vs Tacoma - Reno Aces
- Salt Lake Comes up Short in Series Finale against Las Vegas - Salt Lake Bees
- OKC Baseball Club Game Notes - August 11, 2024 - Oklahoma City Comets
- August 11 Game Notes: Tacoma Rainiers at Reno Aces - Tacoma Rainiers
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