‘Topes get needed relief from start
Niebla gets it done on hill, at plate in debut
Our call-up is better than your call-up.
Such was the case Saturday night at Isotopes Park where the home team had a decided edge in a battle of pitchers making their first Triple-A appearances of the season.
’Topes starter Luis Niebla, fresh up from Double-A Hartford, had a night to remember in Albuquerque’s 11-5 win over Las Vegas. Blake Beavan, who made his first start for the 51s off a stint in the Mexican League, would probably rather write this one off.
Niebla, a 26-year-old from Mexico who had not started a game in over a year coming into this season, provided the Isotopes with five solid innings in place of injured Harrison Musgrave. He allowed three runs (one earned) and struck out five to earn the win in his Triple-A debut.
The five-inning appearance equaled Nieblas’ longest of the season and provided a needed boost to Albuquerque’s pitching staff. Not bad for a guy who had 17 saves for High-A Modesto last season and pitches exclusively out of the stretch.
“I didn’t know what to expect from him really,” Isotopes manager Glenallen Hill said. “I knew he was a strikethrower and I knew he doesn’t throw 97 (mph). But he threw a good changeup, a good slider and mixed in enough fastballs to keep them honest. He should be proud of the way he pitched tonight.”
If his pitching performance wasn’t enough, Niebla did a little productive work at the plate. He drew a bases-loaded walk to earn his first professional RBI and later punched a single to left for his first pro hit. The baseball was taken out of play and saved for Niebla.
“Looked like he’d been doing it all his life,” Hill deadpanned.
Niebla’s big night just happened to come in front of the Isotopes’ biggest crowd of the season, an announced throng of 12,441 on a Little League/
postgame fireworks night.
“We played well on this past road trip but lost a couple one-run games,” Hill said. “It was nice to come home and have a night like this in front of that crowd, finally play one that wasn’t so close.”
Beavan, meanwhile, struggled through 4⅓ innings in his first start since being signed to a minor league deal by the New York Mets organization.
The 28-year-old who pitched for the Seattle Mariners from 2011 to 2014, is trying to work his way back up the baseball ladder. He pitched for the independent Bridgeport Bluefish last season and signed with Perico de Puebla in March.
It wasn’t all bad for Beavan, who went 2-for-2 at the plate and scored a run, but his pitching line was far less stellar. He allowed 10 runs (nine earned) on 10 hits with five walks and three strikeouts.
Mike Tauchman had a big night against Beavan and the Las Vegas bullpen, going 3-for-3 with a double, three RBIs, and reaching base in all five of his plate appearances. Noel Cuevas also smacked a solo homer for the ’Topes, who won for the fourth time in five games and climbed back over the .500 mark at 15-14.
NOTE: Hill was honored before Saturday’s game for his 300th managerial victory.
He picked up the landmark win during the Isotopes’ recent road trip and now has 148 victories in two-plus seasons in Albuquerque. Hill needs six more wins to surpass Tim Wallach for third place in wins among Isotopes managers.