Trappers Run into Bump in the Road

June 25, 2003 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Edmonton Trappers News Release


Right-hander Nate Bump (6-5) allowed only one unearned run in 7.0 strong innings as the Albuquerque Isotopes avoided a sweep with a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Trappers Tuesday night at Isotopes Park. The Trappers had won the first three games of the series and had scored 27 runs in the process. Edmonton failed to move their record over the .500 mark for the first time since May 21 with the loss. For the Trappers it was the first time that an opponent had held them to one run or less since they lost 3-1 in Colorado Springs on May 24. Despite getting less than 10 hits in a game for the first time since June 16 the Trappers still boast a league-leading .303 team batting average. The club is 9-10 in one-run games and is 17-23 on the road. The Trappers will begin an eight-game homestand against the Tacoma Rainiers on Thursday night at TELUS Field. Edmonton will retire Ron Kittle' s jersey on Saturday and Monday night's game will feature a spectacular post-game fireworks show.

The Trappers are 25-11 when they score the first run in a game, so it appeared to be a positive sign when they got to Bump for one run in the top of the third inning. He had retired eight of the first nine batters that he had faced when Peter Bergeron reached on an error by Jason Wood with two down in the third. Bergeron stole second and scored on a single to left field by second baseman Luis Figueroa. The Isotopes came right back to tie the game in the bottom of the third with a single run off Edmonton starter Britt Reames (3-8). Reames hit second baseman Kevin Hooper with a pitch to open the frame. Wilson Valdez singled to right-center field, advancing Hooper to third. A wild pitch allowed Valdez to move up to second base and Hooper to score the tying run. Reames fought back and got the next three outs to get out of the inning without any further damage. Edmonton missed a glorious chance to take the lead in the fourth inning when Terrmel Sledge led off with a single and Valentino Pascucci and Jake Thrower followed with one-out base hits to load the bases. Bump got out of trouble by getting Anthony Medrano to ground into an inning-ending double play.

Albuquerque picked up their second run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two out Chad Allen doubled to right field and former Trapper of the Year Jason Wood followed with a two-base hit to left center that plated Allen with what would eventually be the winning run. Reames took the loss despite allowing only two runs on five hits and two walks, while fanning four in 5.0 innings of work. Edmonton failed to take advantage of a leadoff single by Figueroa in the sixth inning, leaving him stranded at first. Bump retired the side in order in the seventh inning and exited with the lead. He allowed seven hits, did not walk a batter and struck out six. Let-handed reliever Anthony Ferrari, who was rocked for eight runs in his last appearance for the Trappers, did a stellar job in relief on Tuesday night tossing 3.0 scoreless innings. The Isotopes bullpen also did a good job of protecting the victory for Bump. Juan Alvarez tossed a perfect eighth inning and Mike Judd shut the Trapper out in the ninth to record his third save of the season. With one out in the ninth Pascucci singled to left field, but the next batter, Thrower, grounded into a double play to end the game.

Highlights:

Trappers: Are 17-23 on the road...had eight hits, ending a streak in which they had collected 10 or more hits in a game at seven...lead the PCL with a .303 team batting average...have 766 hits in 75 games, putting the club on pace for 1461 hits...the club record is 1459...the club record for team batting average is .303...finish the season with a 7-9 vs. the Central Division with all those games being played away from TELUS Field...Edmonton wins the season series vs. Albuquerque and leads the all-time series, 3-1.

RF Valentino Pascucci: Has two hits to extend his hitting streak to five games...is 9-for-19 (.474) during the streak...began the game with the second highest on-base percentage in the PCL (.342)...is batting .419 (18-for-43) in his last 14 games.

Alumni Report:

RF Carl Everett (TEX) vs. OAK: Hit a three-run home run off Chad Bradford in the eighth inning as the A's held off the Rangers 7-6...had two hits in the game and stole his third base of the season...the Rangers halted an eight-game losing streak with the victory.



Pacific Coast League Stories from June 25, 2003


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