PCL Albuquerque Isotopes

Isotopes Drop Series Opener to Rainiers, 3-2

Published on June 13, 2023 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release


Tacoma, WA - Despite a sterling performance by Luis Cessa on the hill and a 431-foot homer by Michael Toglia, the Albuquerque Isotopes fell victim to a late rally on Tuesday afternoon. The host Tacoma Rainiers plated a pair of runs in the seventh inning and held on for a 3-2, series-opening victory.

Albuquerque has dropped six games in a row, and 13 of 15 overall.

Topes Scope:

- Jorge Alfaro recorded his second consecutive multi-hit game with a pair of singles. He is 5-for-14 in his first three contests with the club.

- In seven professional games at Cheney Stadium, Toglia is 12-for-31 with five doubles, three homers and nine RBI while hitting safely in all of them.

- Toglia became the 20th PCL player to reach double-figures in home runs this season. Five of them are Isotopes: Elehuris Montero, Nolan Jones, Coco Montes, Aaron Schunk and Toglia.

- Cessa twirled the seventh quality start of the season for the Isotopes. He became just the third pitcher to work into the seventh inning this season, joining Phillips Valdez (May 9 at Las Vegas) and Karl Kauffmann (June 9 vs. Sugar Land). Additionally, it was Cessa's longest outing since he worked six frames of three-run ball on Sept. 28, 2022 for Cincinnati at Pittsburgh.

- Cessa's eight strikeouts were the most by an Albuquerque starting pitcher since Logan Allen also had eight on the last day of the 2022 season vs. El Paso.

- The Isotopes dropped to 4-12 in one-run games this year; they have dropped six in a row and 11 of their last 12.

- Albuquerque was held to two or fewer runs for the 11th time this season, and first since they fell 4-1 at Salt Lake on June 3. They are 0-17 when scoring three or fewer runs.

- The Isotopes pitching staff limited their opponent to three or fewer tallies for the 13th time in 2023. They are 10-3 in such contests, with all three of the losses coming of the 3-2 variety (April 22 vs. OKC, May 17 vs. Tacoma, today).

- Albuquerque tied a season-best by walking only one batter. It had been done on two previous occasions, most recently May 11 at Las Vegas.

- The Isotopes hitters mustered only one walk, a free pass to Yonathan Daza opening the game. It was their sixth time taking zero or one walks in a contest, and fewest since not drawing any on June 2 at Salt Lake.

- Albuquerque was held to one extra-base hit for the fourth time in their last nine games.

- Tacoma registered just six hits, the fewest allowed by Albuquerque since June 3 at Salt Lake (five).

- The game took only two hours and nine minutes to play, Albuquerque's second-fastest nine-inning game of the year (2:05, May 11 at Las Vegas).

- The Isotopes recorded multiple stolen bases (Daza and Alfaro) for the ninth time in 2023.

- Matt Festa has recorded the save in all four of Tacoma's victories over Albuquerque this season.

On Deck: The Isotopes and Rainiers are scheduled to face off at 7:05 pm MT (6:05 PT) on Wednesday. Right-handed pitcher Jeff Criswell is slated to start for Albuquerque against Tacoma right-hander Marcus Walden.

Check out the Albuquerque Isotopes Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 13, 2023


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