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PCL1 Albuquerque Isotopes

Sounds Slosh Past Isotopes 6-5

August 24, 2009 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release


After a 90-minute rain delay, the Albuquerque Isotopes (72-57) failed to break two ties to their advantage, eventually succumbing to the Nashville Sounds (66-63) 6-5 on a soggy Sunday night at Isotopes Park. Albuquerque still maintains a sizable lead in the American Southern division with a seven and a half-game lead over the Oklahoma City RedHawks for a magic number of nine.

Hector Luna supplied the 'Topes with four RBI, including two in the first inning with a two-run homer to left that gave Albuquerque an instant 2-0 lead. Luna cashed in Luis Maza who singled one batter prior.

Sounds starter Chase Wright dialed in after that, however, facing the minimum through the fourth inning. The southpaw used two inning-ending double plays to his favor and surrendered just one run with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth.

Adam Heether put the Sounds on the board with a solo home run in the top of the second to pull Nashville within 2-1 but Albuquerque had the opportunity to expand its lead in the second with Jason Repko on first via a single. A.J. Ellis sent a single to center field, but the Sounds alertly rallied the throw to third to nab Repko before turning the unconventional twin-killing by throwing out Ellis who looked to take second on the initial throw.

The Sounds knotted it up at 2-2 with a fielder's choice groundout in the third from Erick Almonte to score Corey Paterson, who reached on a walk and advanced to third when Jamie Hoffmann misplayed a single off the bat of J.J. Hardy in right. Almonte delivered the go-ahead run for the Sounds in the fifth with an RBI double off Dwayne Pollok, who started the inning in relief of Scott Elbert. With the Sounds ahead 3-2, Pollok walked two consecutive batters to load the bases, but prevented any further damage with an inning-ending groundout.

The Isotopes found themselves in a similar situation in the bottom of the frame with back-to-back singles from J.D. Closser and Repko and a walk to Blake DeWitt to load the bases. After Chin-Lung Hu lifted a sacrifice fly to create another tie at 3-3, Wright shimmied out of the jam with a ground out of his own.

Hyang-Nam Choi, who had notched seven straight wins, surrendered two home runs over his two innings of work after entering the game having given up just three long balls over 49 innings all season. Almonte, who replicated Luna and drove in four runs on the Sounds' side, crushed a two-run shot in the seventh for a 5-3 Sounds edge before Joe Koshanksy sent a pinch-hit solo home run in the eighth to make it 6-3.

Albuquerque mounted a comeback in the eighth when Luna delivered a two-run single to center plating Sergio Garcia and Hu, who opened the inning with singles to bring Albuquerque to within 6-5. After Mitch Jones singled to put runners on second and third, Chris Smith entered for the Sounds to induce two groundouts before pitching a perfect ninth to stave off the 'Topes and seal the 6-5 Nashville triumph.

Albuquerque will look to get back in the win column tomorrow behind lefty Eric Stults (5-2, 4.69), who will take on Sounds southpaw Chris Cody (6-7, 4.69) in a 6:35 PM MT start from Isotopes Park.

The 'Topes continue their 13-game homestand, the longest in team history, with a post-game Adult Fun Run on Monday. 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.albuquerquebaseball.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from August 24, 2009


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