Las Vegas Prevails in PCL Classic, 12-11
August 4, 2024 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release
Summerlin, NV - A Pacific Coast League barnburner broke out on Saturday night in Las Vegas. The Aviators took a seemingly comfortable 8-2 lead into the seventh, but Albuquerque rallied for five runs, including a grand slam by Sean Bouchard.
Trailing 9-7 after eight, Connor Kaiser led off the ninth with a double before Greg Jones launched an opposite-field two-run homer, bringing the Isotopes even. Albuquerque took a pair of extra-inning leads courtesy of RBI doubles by Grant Lavigne and Jones, but Las Vegas had one more big swing than the Isotopes did.
Cooper Bowman led off the 11th inning with a single, plating automatic runner Hoy Park. After a balk and intentional walk, Jordan Diaz smacked a double off the right-field wall to score Bowman and give the Aviators a 12-11 victory.
Topes Scope: - Rockies No. 14 prospect Carson Palmquist (according to MLB Pipeline) made his Triple-A debut, allowing seven hits and six earned runs in 3.2 innings. It marked the most runs relented by an Isotopes starter since Karl Kauffmann on July 7 at El Paso (six). Additionally, Palmquist walked five batters, the sixth time in 2024 that an Albuquerque hurler issued at least that many free passes (last: Peyton Battenfield, July 3 at El Paso, six).
- Jones finished 4-for-6 with two doubles, a home run and three RBI. Jones tallied a minimum four hits in a contest for the second time of his professional career, as he was 5-for-5 in a contest for the Aberdeen IronBirds on Aug. 31, 2019. This was the seventh time he recorded a pair of doubles in a game (last: Aug. 6, 2022 for Double-A Montgomery).
- Jordan Beck was 2-for-6, his second multi-hit effort in eight contests since rejoining Albuquerque on July 27. He also recorded his second outfield assist in a week, catching a liner in right field doubling off Brendan Harris at first base.
- Elehuris Montero extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a 2-for-4 effort. He is slashing .500/.581/.885 with two doubles, six homers, 13 RBI, nine walks and nine multi-hit performances during the stretch. Montero is the fourth Isotope to reach a baker's dozen in the hit streak department this season (also: Romo, Schunk, Herron).
- Drew Romo's eighth inning single stretched his own hit streak to nine contests. Romo has recorded one knock in seven of the nine games.
- After a 2-for-4 evening, Grant Lavigne is 9-for-19 with a double, triple, home run and six RBI in five contests against the Aviators this week.
- Bouchard's grand slam was the second for the Isotopes in three games, after they only produced one through the first 104 contests this season. Tonight marked Bouchard's third career slam, the previous two also coming with Albuquerque (April 16, 2022 vs. TAC and July 27, 2022 vs. LV).
- After compiling a 2.78 ERA in his first 19 Triple-A outings in 2024, Koch has appeared in 18 games since June 1. His ERA during the span is 10.59 (17.0 IP/20 ER) while blowing five saves, and the PCL is batting .432 against him.
- Right-handed pitcher Seth Halvorsen made his Triple-A debut, working the eighth inning. He allowed a leadoff homer to Yohel Pozo before later registering two strikeouts, stranding a pair.
- Isotopes manager Pedro Lopez was ejected in the 11th inning arguing the balk call against Koch. It was the second time Lopez has been tossed this season, and fourth as Albuquerque's skipper.
- Former Isotope Carlos Pérez connected on a two-run homer in the fifth inning, his third clout of the series. He is 7-for-17 with seven RBI this week.
- Bowman was 4-for-5, the 21st time an opposing player collected at least four hits this season (last: Colby Thomas, July 30 at Las Vegas, four).
- Tonight was the 101st time in club history Albuquerque and their opponent both plated double-digits in the run column, and just the 17th occurrence away from Isotopes Park. It has taken place twice in Summerlin this week, as the Isotopes claimed a 15-11 victory in the series opener.
- Albuquerque pitching has allowed a home run in 16 consecutive games, their longest stretch since July 25-Aug. 11, 2023 (also 16). The opposition has 38 long balls during the stretch, incuding 16 across five contests this week in Summerlin. - The Isotopes have dropped eight of their last 10 road games since July 6 at El Paso. Additionally, Albuquerque is 7-20 in their last 27 contests at Las Vegas Ballpark, dating back to Aug. 30-Sept. 2, 2019 when the Aviators swept the final four-game set of the regular season. The Isotopes have never won a series in Summerlin.
- Albuquerque has relented a double-digit amount of hits in eight consecutive games, tying a season-high (also: April 20-28 at El Paso, vs. Oklahoma City).
- The five-run seventh inning was the 17th time the Isotopes plated at least five in a frame this year. They most recently accomplished the feat in the opening inning on Tuesday in Summerlin.
- Aviators hitters drew nine walks, meaning Albuquerque has issued a minimum of nine free passes on nine separate occassions (last: June 30 vs. Salt Lake, second game of doubleheader).
- Las Vegas recorded their 11th walk-off victory against the Isotopes, and fifth since August 2021. It also marked Albuquerque's second walk-off defeat this week, as Hoy Park singled in the winning run Wednesday night.
- The Isotopes dropped to 11-20 in one-run games, including 3-11 on the road. Three of five contests this week have been decided by a single tally.
- Albuquerque and Las Vegas each turned a trio of double plays, the most combined in a game since June 21, 2023 at Reno (ABQ five, REN one).
- If the Isotopes lose Sunday, they will tie a franchise-worst watermark at 28 games under .500. It was previously reached following a June 11 defeat to El Paso this year.
On Deck: Albuquerque and Las Vegas wrap up their six-game series Sunday, with first pitch slated for 7:05 MT (6:05 PT). Right-handed pitchers Dakota Hudson and Brandon Bielak are scheduled to start for the Isotopes and Aviators, respectively.
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