PCL Albuquerque Isotopes

Vargas' Eighth-Inning Blast Sinks Isotopes, 8-7

April 3, 2024 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release


Oklahoma City, OK - Miguel Vargas has delivered many game-changing hits over two full years in the Pacific Coast League, and Wednesday night was no different. Vargas connected on a two-run homer off Matt Koch in the eighth inning, giving the Oklahoma City Baseball Club an 8-7 victory over Albuquerque in the Sooner State.

The Isotopes trailed 6-3 after six innings, then plated four in the seventh to surge ahead. Hunter Goodman and Aaron Schunk helped lead the charge with RBI doubles in that frame. Goodman finished the evening 3-for-4 with a pair of two-baggers.

Topes Scope: - The Isotopes have started a season 1-4 for the sixth time in club history, and third time in the last four years.

- Albuquerque's first five games have all been decided by either one or two runs, the first occurrence of this ever taking place.

- The Isotopes dropped the first two meetings of a series in Oklahoma City for the tenth time in franchise history and first since July 2018 (OKC swept the three-game set).

- Albuquerque has scored in the opening frame in consecutive games for the first time since last Aug. 20 (vs. El Paso) and Aug. 22 (at Oklahoma City).

- Goodman's doubles registered at 103.1 and 107.3 MPH off the bat, respectively. In six career games at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark, he is 13-for-24 with nine-extra base hits and 13 RBI. Additionally, tonight marked Goodman's sixth three-hit performance in 17 games at Triple-A.

- Sean Bouchard tripled for the fourth time in five games to begin the season. He is already two three-baggers away from tying his career high, set in 2022 with Albuquerque.

- After going hitless in his first two at-bats to start the season 1-for-18, Schunk got off the schneid with a single and double. He registered his first multi-hit contest of 2024 after finishing last season with 39, second-most on the team.

- Grant Lavigne was 2-for-4 with an RBI double, his second straight multi-hit performance to begin his Triple-A career.

- The leadoff hitter reached safely for Albuquerque in six consecutive innings, from the second until the seventh. They hit into three double plays in a contest for the first time since last year's season finale, also against Oklahoma City.

- The Isotopes offense has registered double-digits in strikeouts in four of five contests in 2024. Albuquerque leads all of Triple-A in punchouts (58).

- Noah Davis pitched 5.0 innings while allowing eight hits and six runs (five earned). It was the most hits surrendered by an Isotopes starter since Tanner Gordon last Sept. 10 vs. Reno (10).

- Despite allowing the game-deciding homer, Koch struck out three batters in an outing for the first time since July 24, 2023 at Washington.

- Tonight marked only the second time the Isotopes have played on April 3. The lone prior occurrence was the first game in team history, a 3-2 victory at Memphis to start the 2003 campaign.

- A contest that featured 15 runs, 20 hits and 11 walks took just two hours and 27 minutes to complete.

On Deck: The clubs continue their series tomorrow, with right-handed pitchers Karl Kauffmann and Landon Knack slated to start for Albuquerque and Oklahoma City, respectively. First pitch is set for 6:05 pm MT (7:05 CT).

Check out the Albuquerque Isotopes Statistics



Pacific Coast League Stories from April 3, 2024


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