'Topes score wild walk-off, 9-8 win
Published on July 19, 2009 under Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release
Despite surrendering two leads, A.J. Ellis provided a pinch-hit, ninth-inning single to give the Albuquerque Isotopes (48-44) a 9-8 walk-off win over the New Orleans Zephyrs (41-50) Saturday night at Isotopes Park. The triumph sends the Isotopes to their eighth straight home win and lifts them to four games above .500 for the first time this season as they remain undefeated against the Z's at Isotopes Park this season.
After letting a 6-2 advantage turn into a 7-6 Zephyrs lead, Albuquerque pulled out two runs in the eighth to snatch the lead back at 8-7. The frame started dismally with Jovanny Rosario making the second out at the plate while trying to score from second on an infield hit, thus wiping out a chance for the âTopes to have runners at the corners with one out. The circumstances quickly changed, however, as the next three Albuquerque batters pieced together three straight hits. Luis Maza sent a single to shallow center field before Dee Brown doubled to right field, scoring Maza and knotting the game at 7-7. After Brown advanced to third on right-fielder Alejandro De Aza's third error of the evening, Mitch Jones rocketed a single to left to plate Brown and give the âTopes the 8-7 edge going into the ninth.
In uncharacteristic fashion, closer Scott Strickland allowed the Z's to tie it up when De Aza doubled to open the top of the ninth and moved to third when Strickland overthrew a pickoff to second. A sacrifice fly from Gaby Sanchez instantly produced the 8-8 deadlock.
This time the Albuquerque offense saved Strickland (1-1), handing the right-hander his first win of the season despite the blown save with a walk-off victory. Newest Isotope Brett Harper opened the Albuquerque ninth with a single to center, the second hit of his âTopes debut, before Juan Gonzalez bunted him along to second. Chin-Lung Hu hustled out an infield single to set up runners on the corners before Ellis pushed across the deciding tally with a single through the left side off Chris Mobley (2-2), giving the âTopes the dramatic 8-7 win.
âTopes starter Charlie Haeger was uncharacteristically roughed up, allowing three home runs including solo shots from John Lindsey and Z's starter Clay Hensley in the second and third innings that gave New Orleans a 2-0 lead.
Albuquerque would roar back, however, establishing a 6-2 lead over the third and fourth innings. Back-to-back singles from Haeger and Tony Abreu put runners on the corners for Brown, who sent home Haeger with a groundout to first before Jones plated Abreu with a single to left center to tie the game. After a J.D. Closser walk, Harper delivered a two-run double down the left line that gave the Isotopes a 4-2 edge. A Maza double in the fourth that cashed in Hu and Abreu added two more and extended the cushion to four runs at 6-2.
Haeger's woes only worsened, however, as the knuckleballer allowed a run-scoring single to Michael Ryan and Lindsey's second home run of the season, this time of the two-run variety, in the fifth to bring the Z's within 6-5. New Orleans scratched out two more in the sixth with a Cameron Maybin RBI groundout and a De Aza run-scoring single for a 7-6 advantage. Erick Threets and Travis Schlichting worked an inning of scoreless relief after Haeger exited in the sixth to allow Albuquerque an easier comeback course.
The Isotopes will attempt their second straight home sweep of the Zephyrs tomorrow behind right-hander Dwayne Pollok (2-4, 5.08), who will make the spot-start against New Orleans lefty John Koronka (4-5, 3.48) in a 6:05 PM MT start from The Lab.
Albuquerque's big homestand wraps up Sunday with a Squeezable Airplane giveaway courtesy of GE Aviation. 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 19, 2009
- Z's get swept in Duke City - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Round Rock Wins Second Straight - Round Rock Express
- Beavers Fall Short After Rallying for Two Runs in the Ninth - Portland Beavers
- Cubs Edge Sounds - Iowa Cubs
- VandenHurk to Marlins - New Orleans Baby Cakes
- Sounds Drop Series Finale To I-Cubs, 5-4 - Nashville Sounds
- Cole Gillespie Traded To Diamondbacks - Nashville Sounds
- Sky Sox Get Redemption and Beat the Grizzlies 4-3 - Colorado Springs Sky Sox
- Allen Homers in Reno Defeat - Reno Aces
- Buschmann solid over six but bullpen can't hang on - Portland Beavers
- Sacramento slips past Aces, 5-2 - Reno Aces
- 'Topes score wild walk-off, 9-8 win - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Cubs Defeat Sounds With Last At-Bat Run - Nashville Sounds
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