'Topes Head to the All-Star Break with 9-5 Loss
Published on July 11, 2011 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release
The Albuquerque Isotopes (47-43) found themselves buried in an early hole they couldn't escape, as the Nashville Sounds (41-49) scored seven times in the first three innings and cruised to a 9-5 win Sunday night at Isotopes Park. Even with the defeat, the ¬ËTopes now head to the Triple-A All-Star Break with a winning record for the fifth time in nine years.
It was clear early on that it wouldn't be Albuquerque's night as former Isotope Brett Carroll continued to torment his former team, smashing a solo home run with two down in the first to give Nashville a 1-0 lead.
The Sounds struck again in the second, again with two outs, when Caleb Gindl hammered a triple to center and immediately dashed home on a single by Edwin Maysonet to double the visitor's lead to 2-0.
The real damage came in the third however, when Nashville put up a five-spot to break the game wide open. After ¬ËTopes starter Ian Snell walked the first three batters of the frame to load the bases, Taylor Green crushed a pitch onto the berm in right field for a grand slam, the first hit by any team at Isotopes Park this season, to instantly give Nashville a 6-0 cushion. Green's blast spelled the end of the night for Snell, but not the Sounds scoring as Ramon Troncoso came on in relief for the ¬ËTopes and, after getting a fly-out for the first out of the inning, surrendered a solo homer to Gindl that extended the Nashville lead to 7-0. Gindl added a double and a single to rack up the first cycle ever hit against the Isotopes and just the third cycle hit in Nashville Sounds history.
That's the way it would stay until Ivan De Jesus Jr. finally gave the Isotopes faithful something to cheer about. With one out in the fifth, De Jesus belted a solo homer, his first of the season, over the fence in left center that put Albuquerque on the board 7-1.
Nashville tacked on two more runs in the eighth before the ¬ËTopes finally woke up from their offensive coma, scoring twice in the eighth and twice more in the ninth to draw within 9-5. De Jesus led the way at the plate for Albuquerque, going 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Dee Gordon added three hits, including his third triple in his last five games.
Sounds starter Josh Butler (5-5) earned the win after pitching five innings in which he allowed one run on five hits while striking out three and walking four. Snell (1-2) suffered the defeat
After the Triple-A All-Star Break, Albuquerque will head to Nashville on Thursday for five games in four days against the Sounds that kicks-off with a doubleheader. Right-hander Joe Newby (1-2, 6.43) will start the first game for the ¬ËTopes against Sounds righty Frankie De La Cruz (3-5, 4.33) and right-hander Tim Sexton (3-2, 4.77) will face Nashville righty Mike Fiers (1-0, 1.29) in the night-cap.
The Isotopes will now get three well-deserved days off due to the Triple-A All-Star Break before facing the Sounds in Nashville on Thursday. Albuquerque returns home on Monday, July 18 for an eight-game homestand against division rivals Oklahoma City and New Orleans that is highlighted by Dukes Retro Night. 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.
Pacific Coast League Stories from July 11, 2011
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