Redbirds Slosh Isotopes In 12-Inning Marathon
Published on August 17, 2008 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release
On a night that featured the running of the women's Olympic Marathon, the Albuquerque Isotopes (57-70) and Memphis Redbirds (67-59) slogged out a 12-inning marathon of their own that was interrupted by an hour and eleven minute rain delay before the 'Birds prevailed 8-7 Saturday night at Isotopes Park. Tommy Murphy gave the 'Topes a late-inning jolt with a dramatic two-run homer with two out in the bottom of the ninth to knot the game at 7-7, but the Redbirds plated a run the 12th to ultimately prevail. In appreciation of the incredible patience of the best fans in baseball, the 'Topes have instituted their rain-check policy, meaning any ticket for Saturday's game can be exchanged exclusively at the Isotopes Park Box Office for a ticket of equal or lesser value to any remaining Isotopes home game.
Down 7-3 in the bottom of the ninth, Albuquerque mounted a miraculous two-out comeback. After Paul Hoover and pinch-hitter Jason Wood each drew walks, Robert Andino roped a bases-clearing, two-out double deep to right field to bring the 'Topes within two at 7-5. Murphy then stepped the plate and delivered a dramatic two-run homer that knotted the score at 7-7 and sent the game into extra innings.
Reliever Ross Wolf began the twelfth by hitting leadoff hitter Tyler Greene, setting up pinch-hitter Bryan Anderson, who laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced Greene into scoring position. With a runner on second, Nick Stavinoha reached on a fielder's choice after Greene was tossed out at third on a heads-up play by Andino. Undeterred, Josh Phelps continued the inning with a shallow single to left that moved Stavinoha to second. That brought up David Freese, who roped a double to right that plated Stavinoha with the go-ahead run, putting the Redbirds up 8-7.
The 'Topes had one last chance in the bottom of the 12th, when Tagg Bozied led off with a single and moved to second on a groundout by Dallas McPherson, but Memphis reliever Randy Flores slammed the door, striking out Michael Ryan and coaxing Jai Miller into a groundout to third to end the epic contest and seal the 8-7 'Birds win.
Until the ninth-inning heroics, Albuquerque trailed throughout much of the game. After falling behind 2-0 on a two-run first inning homer by Josh Phelps, the Isotopes halved the lead by answering with a run in the bottom of the frame. Andino led off with a single and immediately stole second, setting up Murphy, who roped an RBI single to make the score 2-1.
After two more Redbirds runs in the fourth made the score 4-1, the Isotopes again came back with a tally in the bottom of the frame when Bozied doubled, advanced to third on a groundout, and trotted home on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 4-2.
A three-run blast by Freese in the fifth put the visiting team up 7-2, but Ryan's RBI double in the sixth scoring Bozied, who was hit by a pitch, brought Albuquerque within striking distance at 7-3.
With one out in the top of the eighth, a crack of lightening halted play and served as a harbinger of a driving rain that was to come, postponing the game for an hour and eleven minutes.
Wolf (4-2) suffered the loss for the 'Topes, while Mark Worrell (3-3) earned the win for Memphis after a perfect 11th. Randy Flores (1) earned his first save of the season after closing out the 12th.
Albuquerque will entertain the Redbirds in a pair of contests on Sunday with the resumption of a suspended game from June 20 beginning at 4:30 PM. Right-hander Jarrett Santos (0-0, 0.00 ERA) will get the ball for the 'Topes when play resumes in the top of the fourth, while righty John Wasdin (8-6, 3.95) will kick things off for the Redbirds. In the regularly scheduled seven-inning contest that follows, righty Rick VandenHurk (2-1, 4.60 ERA) makes his Isotopes Park debut in the start against Memphis righty Clayton Mortensen (5-4, 4.91 ERA).
The 'Topes' action-packed final homestand rolls on with the most anticipated giveaway in team history, the Grand Slam Giveaway, in which three lucky fans will walk away with either a new home from Raylee Homes/Vantage Homes, a new Chevy Malibu from Brad Francis Chevrolet, or $10,000 in home furnishings from TEMA. The exciting giveaway will take place in a special ceremony on the field at Isotopes Park between contests. Tickets can be purchased at Isotopes Park or any Ticketmaster outlet, www.ticketmaster.com, or by calling Ticketmaster at 505-883-7800. For more information, visit www.albuquerquebaseball.com or call 505-924-2255.
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- Redbirds Slosh Isotopes In 12-Inning Marathon - Albuquerque Isotopes
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