River Cats Topple 'Topes, 4-2
June 7, 2024 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release
Sacramento, CA - Isotopes starting pitcher Peyton Battenfield was sharp, allowing two hits and one run through the first five innings, but a two-run homer from Donovan Walton in the sixth turned the tide as Sacramento earned a 4-2 victory over Albuquerque on Thursday night at Sutter Health Park.
With the victory, the River Cats remain 1.0 game behind first-place Sugar Land in the Pacific Coast League standings. The Space Cowboys have also claimed the first three contests of their away series at Salt Lake. There are 15 games remaining in the first half of the season.
Topes Scope: - Nolan Jones played in the seventh game of his rehab assignment, going 0-for-4 with a walk and three strikeouts. He has reached base at least once in six of the seven contests. Jones fanned three times in a ballgame for the fifth time this year, between the Isotopes and Rockies.
- With the loss, the Isotopes are now 26 games under.500, a low watermark in the 21-year history of the franchise. They had previously been 25 under the breakeven ledger on three occassions.
- Albuquerque has dropped the first three games of a series against Sacramento for the fourth time in club history (also: Aug. 4-6, 2010; Aug. 3-5, 2016; May 25-27, 2019). The previous three instances occurred in the Duke City. In two of them, the River Cats swept doubleheaders at Isotopes Park on Aug. 6, 2010 and Aug. 5, 2016.
- The Isotopes have lost a minimum of four consecutive contests on five occassions this season (last: May 25-31, five games). They have also matched their longest road losing streak of the campaign at four games (also: April 5-16).
- Tonight was the third time Albuquerque did not record an extra-base hit this season, and twice in the last seven games (also: May 16 vs. Sugar Land, May 30 vs. Oklahoma City). It was the first time it has occurred on the road since Aug. 27, 2023 at Oklahoma City.
- The Isotopes were limited to two or fewer runs for the 16th time in 2024, and eighth in their last 12 contests dating back to May 24 at Salt Lake. This marks the first time they have plated two or fewer tallies in at least four consecutive games since May 29-June 4, 2021, a stretch of six-straight.
- Sacramento recorded just six hits for the second consecutive evening, and it was the fourth time this season Albuquerque allowed six or fewer knocks in a contest.
- Battenfield delivered the fourth quality start of the season for an Isotopes hurler (last: Karl Kauffmann, May 26 at Salt Lake). It was the eighth time an Albuquerque starter has completed at least 6.0 innings, and first since Kauffmann's aforementioned performance against the Bees. Additionally, this marked the second-straight night the Isotopes pitcher allowed four hits in either five or six innings (Tanner Gordon yesterday), and fifth occurrence in 2024.
- Battenfield completed at least six innings for the 26th time in 73 starts as a professional, and first since Sept. 9, 2023, when he spun 6.2 frames of one-run ball for Triple-A Syracuse vs. Rochester.
- Hunter Stovall put Albuquerque on the board with a two-run single in the fourth inning. It was the third-straight contest where the Isotopes only two tallies came via one swing of the bat. Michael Toglia and Nolan Jones hit two-run homers on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Stovall recorded multiple RBI in a contest for the third time in 2024 (also: May 17 vs. Sugar Land, May 21 at Salt Lake).
- Sam Hilliard remained in a slump, going 0-for-5, including a game-ending groundout. He is 3-for-38 over his last nine contests, and his average has dipped from.324 to.281 during the timeframe. Additionally, Hilliard has failed to record a hit in four consecutive games with a plate apperances for the first time since April 26-May 4, 2023 with the Braves.
- Julio Carreras produced his sixth multi-hit contest of the season and first since May 9 vs. El Paso. His batting average currently sits at.194, and has not been over.200 since the third game of the year on March 31.
- The Isotopes pitching staff relented just one walk, their sixth contest with either zero or one in 2024 and first since May 29 vs. Oklahoma City (zero). Additionally, it was the first time they have allowed a lone walk in Sacramento since the Oct. 3, 2021 season finale.
- Sacramento's Hunter Bishop was 3-for-4, the eighth time an opposing leadoff hiter has recorded at least three hits this season (last: Drew Avans, June 1 vs. Oklahoma City).
On Deck: Right-handed pitcher Noah Davis is scheduled to start for Albuquerque tomorrow, against River Cats southpaw Ken Wisenhunt. First pitch from Sutter Health Park is slated for 7:35 pm MT.
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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 7, 2024
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