PCL1 Albuquerque Isotopes

Sands, Savage Help 'Topes Slam Salt Lake, 10-7

Published on May 14, 2012 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release


Slugger Jerry Sands hammered two home runs and Will Savage won his franchise-record-tying seventh straight game as the Albuquerque Isotopes (24-14) held on for a 10-7 victory over the Salt Lake Bees (18-20) Sunday night at Spring Mobile Ballpark. The red-hot "˜Topes have now won nine of their last 11 games.

Albuquerque wasted little time putting a crooked number on the scoreboard, scoring four times in the very first frame. Joe Becker started the contest with a single and was immediately picked up by a triple from Ivan De Jesus Jr. that put the Isotopes on the board 1-0. Josh Fields then plated De Jesus with a single before Jeff Baisley moved Fields to third with a base hit of his own. A double-play by Luis Cruz scored Fields, but the Bees were hardly out of the woods, as Sands crushed a solo shot to left, giving the Isotopes a quick 4-0 edge.

Salt Lake responded in the bottom of the second, scratching out three runs on an RBI double by Doug Deeds and a two-run single by Ed Lucas to trim the lead to 4-3 before Albuquerque added more in the third. After a one-out walk to Sands and a single by Tim Federowicz, Trent Oeltjen laced a single to right, plating Sands and extending the Isotopes' lead back to two runs at 5-3.

The Bees would score again in the fourth to again make it a one-run game at 5-4 before the "˜Topes broke it open with three in the fifth courtesy again of Sands. Baisley and Cruz hammered back-to-back doubles before the red-hot Sands blasted a two-run homer to left, giving the visitors an 8-4 cushion.

Sands ignited another Isotopes rally in the seventh, as he and Federowicz laced back-to-back one-out singles in front of Tyler Henson, who smashed a two-run double to right, easily scoring both base runners and extending the Albuquerque lead to 10-4. Sands finished his night going 3-for-4 with a franchise-record-tying four runs scored and three RBI.

Meanwhile, Savage (7-0) was typically solid, going 6.0 innings and allowing four earned runs on five hits while walking two and fanning two to earn his seventh straight victory. The right-hander becomes just the fourth pitcher in "˜Topes history to win seven straight decisions and the first since 2009.

Salt Lake would rally for a run in the eighth and two more in the ninth, but it wasn't enough as Albuquerque held on for a 10-7 win. Every single player in the Isotopes' starting nine recorded a hit, with six players having multi-hit nights as the "˜Topes erupted for a total of 16 knocks in the game.

Albuquerque will look for a third straight win on Monday with right-hander Stephen Fife (3-2, 6.03) taking the mound for the "˜Topes against Bees righty Garrett Richards (3-1, 4.66) in a 6:35 PM MT start from Spring Mobile Ballpark.

After a series in Salt Lake, the Isotopes will return home on May 17 for a 12-game homestand, the longest such stretch of the 2012 season that includes the Celebrity Softball Game, Bark in the Park, fireworks and a bobblehead giveaway. 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.abqisotopes.com or www.ticketmaster.com .

Check out the Albuquerque Isotopes Statistics

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Pacific Coast League Stories from May 14, 2012


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