Isotopes strike early
Albuquerque jumps to 5-0 lead in first
The first-inning boot was on the other foot Monday night.
Two nights after being done in by a dreadful opening frame, the Albuquerque Isotopes put an early beating on visiting Tacoma in a lengthy 12-8 win at Isotopes Park.
The ’Topes led 5-0 after one inning and several trends — some good, some less than good — had been set. Among them: Albuquerque’s offense came out sizzling and never cooled off. Noel Cuevas’ two-run homer highlighted things as the Isotopes batted around in the bottom of the first. All nine Isotopes hitters had at least one hit. Cuevas and Rafael Ynoa had three apiece.
Tacoma hitters had their share of fun, as well. Infielder Zach Shank picked up a double in the ninth to ensure that every starter for both teams had at least one hit.
It wasn’t a pleasant night for pitchers. Tacoma starter Rafael Pineda didn’t make it out of the first inning. Isotopes starter Harrison Musgrave needed 92 pitches to get through 4⅓ innings and didn’t qualify for a win despite being staked to an 8-1 lead.
Most of the eight combined relievers got roughed up, too, as the offenses racked up 33 hits and
took 10 walks. (Four batters were hit by pitches.)
The first inning lasted 36 minutes and set the game’s pace dial at “glacial.” Foul balls were common enough that most of the announced 3,088 fans still present for the final pitch probably had multiple shots to catch one.
The game lasted 3 hours, 36 minutes.
From the Isotopes perspective, at least, it was time well spent. Albuquerque won its second straight game and will have a shot to win the four-game series with the Rainiers today.
“This is the PCL, right?” Isotopes manager Glenallen Hill said. “You’re going to have games like that. I’ve been on the other side of them, too. Winning is better.”
It was certainly more fun for the home team than Saturday’s series opener, when Tacoma’s first six batters reached base and four scored in a 5-3 Rainiers win.
The offensive outburst was also something of a relief for the Isotopes, who have struggled to score runs of late.
There were positive signs for several players, including first baseman Jordan Patterson. The slumping Patterson mashed a solo home run Monday, his first since his first at-bat of the season.
“I don’t even think he cared that it was a home run,” Hill said. “Just a hit, he would have been happy. But it was good to see Jordan grind out some at-bats. He’s really been working at it.”
The only real highlight-worthy play of the game came when Isotopes outfielder Raimel Tapia crashed into the fence in leftcenter field and robbed Tacoma’s Dario Pazzano of an extra-base hit in the fourth inning.
Other than that, it was simply a long, grinding game that ended on a positive note for the home team.
“We’ll take it,” Hill said. “We worked long enough for it.”