PCL1 Albuquerque Isotopes

Isotopes Score Walk-Off Win Over Express 5-4

Published on September 3, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release


Luis Maza collected three hits, including a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to send the Albuquerque Isotopes (77-63) to a 5-4 victory over the Round Rock Express (60-80) in the last regular season home game Thursday night at Isotopes Park.

With two outs and the score all knotted at 4-4, the uncanny infielder delivered the go-ahead base knock to plate Chin-Lung Hu and break the Isotopes' record for most home wins, finishing with 42 on the season.

Hu, who also racked up three hits, led off the frame with a single to center before a sacrifice bunt from Tony Abreu sent him to second. The speedy Hu bolted home on the Maza hit barely beating the throw for the dramatic ending.

The two teams matched evenly throughout the entire contest, tying the game on three separate occasions.

Albuquerque took a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first thanks to two Round Rock errors. After Blake DeWitt drew a two-out walk, Mitch Jones stroked a single to center that was mishandled by Yordany Ramirez to allow DeWitt to score for the early edge.

Ramirez atoned in the top of the second with a two-out single to score Mark Saccomanno, who doubled one batter earlier and establish the first tie at 1-1. The Express touched Eric Stults for two more the very next inning. Stults boarded two runners with singles to Reggie Abercrombie and Brian Bogusevic before another single from Chris Johnson delivered one run and a sacrifice fly from Saccomanno upped the lead to 3-1.

Ready to respond, Albuquerque answered with two tallies in the bottom of the frame. With two outs, DeWitt was pegged by a pitch from Billy Sadler who was removed from the game after a Jones double sent home DeWitt one batter later. Jose Capellan entered to surrender a single to Hector Luna that deadlocked the game at 3-3.

Stults prevented the Express from further damage by facing the minimum over the next three frames. He essentially retired the final 11 batters he faced starting with inducing two outs in the bottom of the third with runners on second and third. From there, the left-hander used an Abercrombie gaffe when the former 'Tope attempted to extend a triple into an inside the park home run, but was tracked down. Stults ended the fifth with back-to-back strikeouts and induced a double play in the sixth.

Albuquerque put Stults in line for the win with a Dee Brown solo homer in the bottom of the sixth. The slugger opened the frame with a first-pitch shot to make it 4-3 Albuquerque. The lead was short-lived, however, as Lou Santangelo matched Brown with a leadoff home run to start the top of the seventh off Hyang-Name Choi creating a 4-4 tie.

Choi buckled down from there, fanning four in his two innings of work before Scott Strickland worked a scoreless ninth to set up Maza's heroics.

Albuquerque will head to Des Moines tomorrow to face the Iowa Cubs, Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs. Right-hander Giancarlo Alvarado (12-10, 3.63) will take the mound for the 'Topes against I-Cubs righty Mitch Atkins (8-11, 6.56) in a 6:05 PM MT start from Principal Park.

The Isotopes wrap up their epic 13-game homestand tonight with a final game with Round Rock before the team heads to Iowa to wrap up the regular season with a set against the I-Cubs. After their trip to Des Moines, the 'Topes return home to kick off the 2009 PCL Playoffs at Isotopes Park on Wednesday, September 9. 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.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from September 3, 2009


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