Isotopes endure more rain, but salvage a split

Former MLB star Holliday expected to start at DH today

Ever feel like there’s a giant black cloud hanging over your head?

The Albuquerque Isotopes had to be feeling that way Thursday with pretty much nothing going their way during a pair of games against Round Rock at Isotopes Park.

But a ray of light broke through late for the ’Topes when David Dahl’s RBI double in the bottom of the seventh gave Albuquerque a 5-4 walk-off victory in the day’s regularly scheduled game. Round Rock began the day by rolling to a 12-5 win in a game suspended Wednesday night because of rain.

Thursday turned into a long day of baseball and weather was a recurring theme. Round Rock led the suspended game 3-0 when play resumed at 3:30 p.m. and the Express rolled to a victory under mostly sunny skies.

But dark clouds and lightning swirled around the ballpark for Thursday’s nightcap with the Isotopes trying desperately to make an early 4-0 lead stand up long enough for the scheduled seven-inning game to become official.

It didn’t happen. A perfect storm of unfortunate events allowed Round Rock to score the tying run in the top of the fifth inning and prevented the ’Topes from retaking the lead in the bottom of the frame.

When the heavens finally opened, the score was 4-4 after six innings and a 1-hour, 16-minute rain delay ensued.

“We were definitely a little frustrated,” Isotopes manager Glenallen Hill said. “We have a lot of talented players and we haven’t gotten many breaks recently.”

Bad luck had little to do with the suspended game’s outcome. Round Rock blasted three home runs among its 16 hits and was never seriously threatened.

But the Isotopes had to feel a bit snakebitten in Thursday’s late game.

Albuquerque led 4-3 in the fifth inning when two soft ground-ball singles put runners on the corners with one out. Isotopes starter and rehabbing Colorado Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis then got a potential inning-ending grounder, but third baseman Josh Fuentes bobbled it and could only get a force out at second as the tying run scored.

The ’Topes then had runners at first and third with no outs in the bottom of the inning but came up empty. Dahl, who doubled to start the rally, was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice, and Noel Cuevas lined into a double play. The score remained 4-4 after six innings when the game was delayed.

But Albuquerque wasted little time turning its fortunes around when play resumed at 9:45 p.m.

Reliever DJ Johnson struck out all three batters he faced in the top of the seventh, and Raimel Tapia led off the bottom of the inning with a single. Tapia went to second on a ground out and scored on Dahl’s opposite field shot down the thirdbase line.

“Dahl is starting to cut down on his effort and just getting the barrel to the ball,” Hill said. “When he does that, good things happen.”

Dahl had four hits in Thursday’s two games, including a two-run homer in the opener.

EARLY HOLLIDAY: Outfielder Matt Holliday, who signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies last week, was in the Isotopes’ dugout during Thursday’s second game.

Holliday was not in uniform nor officially on the roster but he is expected to start at designated hitter for Albuquerque today, Hill said.

Holliday, 38, spent the first five seasons of his 14-year career with Colorado and finished second in National League MVP voting in 2007.

He also played for Oakland, St. Louis and the New York Yankees. He did not sign a contract prior to this season but opted to rejoin the Rockies organization and reported last week to Grand Junction (the Rockies’ rookie league affiliate), where he worked out for several days and played in one game.