Wheeler, Paulsen Power Isotopes Past Aces 11-2 in Series Opener
April 17, 2015 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release
The Albuquerque Isotopes (6-3) jumped out to a hot start on their 12-game, 13-day road trip by drumming the Reno Aces (4-5) 11-2 Friday night at Aces Ballpark in Reno, NV. First baseman Ben Paulsen and left fielder Tim Wheeler combined to go 8-for-9 with five runs scored, eight RBI, four doubles, a homer and one walk.
DECIDING MOMENT: First pitch was just after 7:35 p.m. MT, and the Isotopes took control of the evening just moments later. Roger Bernadina drew a one-out walk to get the offense rolling, and Ben Paulsen kept the inning going with a two-out single to put runners on the corners. Dustin Garneau singled in Albuquerque's first run of the game before Tim Wheeler stepped up and mashed a three-run bomb to put the Isotopes ahead 4-0 through a single frame.
WHEELERS IN THE SKY KEEP ON TURNING: Left fielder Tim Wheeler turned in a career night on Friday, going 4-for-5 with two doubles, a homer, two runs scored and five RBI. After his thee-run dinger in the first, Wheeler followed with a single in the third and a double in the fourth. Needing just a triple to complete the cycle in his final two at-bats, the 27-year-old grounded in the sixth out and doubled in the eighth to finish the evening.
APPALLING PAULSEN: Not to be out done, first baseman Ben Paulsen turned in a 4-for-4 performance of his own with two doubles, three runs scored, three RBI and a walk. He clubbed a pair of RBI doubles in the fourth and eighth innings. Paulsen and Wheeler's four-hit performances are the most by an Isotope this season.
ROLLING OFFENSE: Albuquerque's four-run first would have been enough for the night, but they tacked on more. The Topes added two in the second courtesy of Roger Bernadina and Ben Paulsen RBI singles. Joey Wong doubled in another run in the third inning before a pair of doubles from Paulsen and Wheeler scored two more runs in the fourth. Paulsen and Wheeler added two more RBI doubles in the eighth to put an exclamation point on the win.
ON DECK: The Isotopes will play game two of their four-game series at Reno Saturday night at 7:35 p.m. MT. Left-hander Chris Rusin (0-0, 10.80) will take the mound for Albuquerque, while the Aces will send righty A.J. Schugel (0-0, -.--).
IN THE HOLE: After their four-game set in Reno, the Isotopes will head to Tacoma and Las Vegas before returning home on April 30 to host the Salt Lake Bees.
Pacific Coast League Stories from April 17, 2015
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