Isotopes come up big in front of large crowd
Albuquerque breaks through with win in front of 14,920
Lots of fireworks early, a few more late, and then plenty after the final pitch.
In the middle, a couple of relatively quiet and — with two notable exceptions — uneventful hours.
But it was a pleasant homecoming for the struggling Albuquerque Isotopes on Thursday night as they beat the Las Vegas Aviators 8-2 with
14,920 fans (the highest this season) filling Isotopes Park on the Fourth of July.
“We were firing on all cylinders tonight,” designated hitter Brian Mundell said.
Thursday marked the first time this year that Albuquerque’s pitching staff has yielded two or fewer runs in consecutive nine-inning games, including a 1-0 loss at Sacramento on Wednesday.
And the five Isotopes pitchers, led by the team’s winningest starter in Tim Melville (6-4), didn’t walk a single Aviator.
“That’s what they’re supposed to do,” Albuquerque manager Glenallen Hill said. “It’s nice for the pitch
ing staff to experience what it’s like to attack hitters and not give away free bases.”
Albuquerque’s two leading hitters, by average, led the offensive charge.
Yonathan Daza, who leads the team at .378 and will represent the Isotopes in El Paso at Wednesday’s Triple-A AllStar Game, was 2-for-4 in the leadoff slot and scored three runs.
Mundell, who is hitting an under-theradar .339, also was 2-for-4. He delivered a two-run single in the bottom of the first for the first runs of the game, scoring Daza, who walked, and Elliot Soto, who singled to center.
“I’m just making sure I’m seeing pitches in my hitting zone,” Mundell said of his approach at the dish. “And being patient in counts where I know I can work it a little bit.”
Later in the first, Drew Weeks added a two-run, stand-up triple to the 428foot sign just right of center, making it 4-0 quickly against Las Vegas starter Tyler Alexander (5-5).
Mundell also belted a solo home run to center in the bottom of the eighth. On the previous pitch, Sam Hilliard clubbed his team-leading 23rd homer, a deep shot over the right-field wall and into the fan-filled berm.
Albuquerque capped the evening in style, with what was probably its best three defensive plays of the game in succession.
Third baseman Josh Fuentes made a diving stop on a line drive ground ball, and threw, from the ground, to first base on a hop to nab Corban Joseph. Next, center fielder Daza threw out Skye Bolt trying to stretch a single into a double with a terrific throw from near the warning track in left-center.
Lastly, shortstop Soto ranged far to his left on a ground ball, spinning and throwing out Jonah Heim from the second-base side of the bag to end the game.
“You won’t see two better plays than Daza and Soto’s plays,” Hill said.
NOTES: The Aviators, formerly the 51s, are playing in a new ballpark in Summerlin this season, about 10 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip.
The move out of creaky Cashman Field has proved prosperous, as Las Vegas is averaging a league-leading 9,400 fans through 45 home dates. Albuquerque came into Thursday sixth in average attendance, but jumped from 7,402 to 7,585 on Thursday. … Albuquerque reliever Ben Bowden, who will compete in the MLB All-Star Futures Game on Sunday in Cleveland, struck out the side in his one inning of work Thursday night.