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PCL1 Albuquerque Isotopes

Pair of Ninth-Inning Homers Sink Isotopes, 8-7

April 17, 2005 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release


Calvin Murray and Ben Grieve hit ninth-inning homers off Albuquerque closer Jim Crowell to lead the Iowa Cubs (3-8) to an 8-7 win over the Isotopes Sunday afternoon at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa. Murray led off the final frame with a solo shot that tied the score at 7-all before Grieve's two-out, walk-off homer ended the game.

The Isotopes (8-3) failed to hold on to an early 5-0 lead and took a 7-6 advantage into the ninth inning. For Crowell (0-1), the Pacific Coast League's saves leader (5), it was his first blown save of the year. Joe Dillon and Derek Wathan each drove in three runs for Albuquerque.

Dillon connected on a two-out, three-run homer – his second of the season and his first since April 8 – in the first inning to give Albuquerque the early lead. Wathan, who has recorded eight hits in his last 13 at bats (.615), made it 4-0 in the third with a triple to right field and scored when the following batter, Mike Colangelo, singled to left.

Iowa began their first rally with one run in the third inning, two runs in the fourth, and eventually took a 6-5 lead in the fifth thanks to a three-run homer by Scott McClain. Albuquerque regained the lead in the following inning when Wathan drove in a pair of runs on a bases-loaded single to center field. But the 7-6 cushion proved to be too little as the Cubs rallied one final time in the ninth.

It was a highly uncharacteristic afternoon for ‘Topes starting pitcher Travis Smith, who allowed six runs in six innings and walked a season-high five batters. The Isotopes and Cubs will play the third game of the four-game series Monday morning, starting at 11:05. Left-handed pitcher Les Walrond (1-0, 6.10) is scheduled to take the hill for the Isotopes against Iowa lefty Renyel Pinto (0-2, 16.88). Following the Iowa series, the Isotopes will travel to Omaha before returning to Isotopes Park on April 23 to host Oklahoma in a brief four-game homestand. Tickets are currently on sale for the rest of the season at the Isotopes Park Box Office, at local Ticketmaster outlets, Ticketmaster.com, and Ticketmaster by phone at 883-7800.

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