PCL1 Albuquerque Isotopes

Isotopes Rip Round Rock, 13-4

Published on July 6, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release


For the second straight night, the Albuquerque Isotopes (44-41) offense scored in double-digits, but this time it was enough to drub the Round Rock Express (50-35) 13-4 Tuesday night at Isotopes Park. With the win, the ‚¬ËœTopes are back to within six games of the Express in the PCL's American Southern Division.

Like they had the night before, the ‚¬ËœTopes surged out to a lead in the very first frame. With the bases loaded and one out, Trayvon Robinson plated Russ Mitchell from third with an RBI force-out before Jamie Hoffmann and J.D. Closser followed with back-to-back RBI singles that gave Albuquerque a quick, 3-0 lead.

Round Rock would rally in the fourth, scoring four times to grab its own advantage. After Brad Nelson laced an RBI single to put the Express on the board, Matt Kata followed with a towering three-run blast that instantly gave the visitors a 4-3 lead.

Undaunted, the Isotopes responded in the fifth in a rally ignited by Dee Gordon, who was making his first appearance back with Albuquerque after a month with the Dodgers. Gordon started the frame with a single and proceeded to swipe second and third, where he was cashed in by a Mitchell sacrifice fly to knot the game at 4-4. After manufacturing the tying run, the ‚¬ËœTopes took the lead on a pair of blasts, as Jerry Sands and John Lindsey hit back-to-back opposite-field solo homers to right field that put the home team ahead 6-4.

After a lead-off homer in the bottom of the seventh by Closser augmented the advantage to 7-4, Albuquerque administered the knock-out punch with a five-run eighth. Sands led off the inning with a ringing double to center and was immediately plated by a single from Lindsey to make the score 8-4 ‚¬ËœTopes. After singles by Robinson and Corey Smith loaded the bases, Justin Sellers knocked a two-out single to center, scoring Lindsey and Robinson to increase the lead to 10-4. Express reliever Michael Kirkman then unleashed a wild pitch that moved Sellers into second before issuing a balk that scored Smith, advanced Sellers to third and led to the pitcher's ejection after he exchanged words with plate umpire Dixon Stureman. Gordon put a cap on the uprising with an RBI single, plating Sellers and giving Albuquerque a comfortable 12-4 cushion. Lindsey and Sands each finished the evening with three hits and combined for six runs scored on the evening.

Albuquerque would score one last tally in the eighth on a sac fly by Closser to cruise to the 13-4 triumph.

The offensive eruption was more than enough for Isotopes starter Ian Snell, who posted his best outing of the season. Snell (1-1) allowed just the four runs on six hits in six strong innings of work while walking two and striking out six to earn his first win of the season. Rehabbing Round Rock starter Scott Feldman (2-1) suffered the defeat.

Albuquerque will wrap up its short, three-game series with the Express on Wednesday with All-Star Dana Eveland (7-5, 3.99) taking the mound for the ‚¬ËœTopes in the rubber game against Round Rock right-hander Derek Hankins (5-5, 6.03). First pitch from Isotopes Park is 7:05 PM.

The Isotopes' fun-filled homestand continues Thursday with an inflatable bat giveaway courtesy of Comcast before the team kicks off the weekend with a backpack giveaway to the first 3,000 kids (15 and under) courtesy of Lovelace Health System. Tickets for any Isotopes game may be purchased at the Isotopes Park Box Office, at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, or on-line at www.albuquerquebaseball.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Check out the Albuquerque Isotopes Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from July 6, 2011


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