Albuquerque Isotopes Game Highlights, Box Score and Play-by-Play - AAA, Pacific Coast League

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Las Vegas - 16  Albuquerque - 18  Box Score attached. - Runs were in record abundance Wednesday night at Isotopes Park, as the Albuquerque Isotopes (15-10) edged the Las Vegas 51s (13-13) 18-16 in a wild affair. The ‘Topes built a 17-6 lead only to have the 51s score 10 runs in an inning for the second straight night to make the game a nail-biter. Jason Wood, Dallas McPherson, and Brett Carroll each homered for Albuquerque in a game that featured 34 total runs, the most ever scored in a game at Isotopes Park.

Las Vegas jumped to an early lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first. Leadoff hitter Luis Maza reached on a fielding error, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. PCL’s leading hitter, Terry Tiffee, then singled through the hole at shortstop to plate Maza. Third baseman Andy LaRoche capped the inning by smacking a line drive, two-run homer over the left field fence to give the 51s an early 3-0 lead.

Andrew Beattie began the first inning Isotopes rally with a one-out single. Carroll followed by slicing a single up the middle to advance Beattie to third in front of Wood, who blasted a towering three-run homer into the ‘Topes bullpen to tie the game. McPherson, the very next batter, added to the power parade, slamming his PCL-leading 10th homer of the season and giving the Isotopes a 4-3 lead.

After Las Vegas knotted the score at 4-4 with a run in the top of the second, Albuquerque continued its hot hitting with five runs in the fourth. With two outs, the ‘Topes got a two-run double by Jai Miller, a runs-scoring double by Beattie, and a two-run blast by Carroll to secure a lead of 9-4 Isotopes.

The 51s winnowed the lead to 9-6 with two runs in the top of the fifth, but the ‘Topes plated one more in the bottom of the frame when Chris Barnwell scored on a passed ball, moving the score to 10-6.

At that point, the game really got crazy. In the sixth, the Isotopes came out hitting hard, mustering up seven more runs. After two quick outs, the next seven hitters scored off five singles and a two-run double by Beattie to lengthen the lead 17-6.

The 51s weren’t going to give up without a fight, so they came right back to score ten runs in the seventh. Terry Tiffee belted a two run homer and the next eight hitters flew in off singles before Luis Maza roped a bases-loaded triple. When the final out in the frame was recorded, the ‘Topes had given up a record 10 runs in an inning for the second time in two games and had seen a 17-6 lead evaporate to one tenuous run.

Joe Nelson stopped the bleeding for Albuquerque, entering the game in the eighth inning and blanking the 51s in two frames to secure his tenth save of the season. Meanwhile, the ‘Topes plated one more insurance run in the seventh to finish off a wild 18-16 victory.

Albuquerque Isotopes 18, Las Vegas 51s 16      Play-by-Play
April 30, 2008

51s starting lineup:
Luis Maza (SS), Xavier Paul (CF), Terry Tiffee (LF), John Lindsey (1B), Andy LaRoche (3B), Kevin Howard (2B), Jason Repko (RF), Danny Ardoin (C), Miguel Pinango (P),

Isotopes starting lineup:
Jai Miller (RF), Andrew Beattie (2B), Brett Carroll (CF), Jason Wood (1B), Dallas McPherson (3B), John Baker (C), Alexis Gomez (LF), Chris Barnwell (SS), Eulogio De La Cruz (P),

Umpires -- Jon Merry (HP), Jeff Latter (1B), (2B), Shawn Rakos (3B).

Gametime Weather: 79 degrees, Clear.
Wind: 31 MPH, Out To RF.

First pitch by E. De La Cruz at 06:38 PM local time.

51s 1st (51s 3, Isotopes 0) -- L. Maza reaches on fielding error by E. De La Cruz. X. Paul out on a sacrifice bunt, J. Wood to A. Beattie, L. Maza to 2nd. T. Tiffee singles through the hole at shortstop, L. Maza scores. J. Lindsey pops out to J. Baker in foul territory. A. LaRoche hits a home run to center field on a 0-0 pitch, T. Tiffee scores. K. Howard grounds out, E. De La Cruz to J. Wood. 
      (3 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)

Isotopes 1st (Isotopes 4, 51s 3) -- J. Miller flies out to J. Repko. A. Beattie singles to center field. B. Carroll singles to center field, A. Beattie to 3rd. J. Wood hits a home run to left field on a 1-2 pitch, A. Beattie scores; B. Carroll scores. D. McPherson hits a home run to right field on a 1-1 pitch. J. Baker grounds out, K. Howard to J. Lindsey. A. Gomez strikes out swinging. 
      (4 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

51s 2nd (51s 4, Isotopes 4) -- J. Repko walks. D. Ardoin walks, J. Repko to 2nd. M. Pinango out on a sacrifice bunt, E. De La Cruz to A. Beattie, J. Repko to 3rd; D. Ardoin to 2nd. L. Maza grounds out, A. Beattie to J. Wood, J. Repko scores; D. Ardoin to 3rd. X. Paul strikes out swinging. 
      (1 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Isotopes 2nd (51s 4, Isotopes 4) -- C. Barnwell grounds out, L. Maza to J. Lindsey. E. De La Cruz grounds out, K. Howard to J. Lindsey. J. Miller strikes out swinging. 
      (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

51s 3rd (51s 4, Isotopes 4) -- T. Tiffee singles through the hole at second base. J. Lindsey grounds into a force out, D. McPherson to A. Beattie, T. Tiffee out at 2nd. A. LaRoche grounds into double play, A. Beattie to C. Barnwell to J. Wood, J. Lindsey out at 2nd. 
      (0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Isotopes 3rd (51s 4, Isotopes 4) -- A. Beattie strikes out on foul tip. B. Carroll lines out to A. LaRoche. J. Wood singles to center field. D. McPherson strikes out swinging. 
      (0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

51s 4th (51s 4, Isotopes 4) -- K. Howard grounds out, A. Beattie to J. Wood. J. Repko strikes out swinging. D. Ardoin flies out to J. Miller. 
      (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Isotopes 4th (Isotopes 9, 51s 4) -- J. Baker singles to center field. A. Gomez out on a sacrifice bunt, M. Pinango to J. Lindsey, J. Baker to 2nd. C. Barnwell walks. With E. De La Cruz batting, throwing error by D. Ardoin on the pickoff attempt, J. Baker to 3rd; C. Barnwell to 2nd. E. De La Cruz strikes out swinging. J. Miller doubles to left field, J. Baker scores; C. Barnwell scores. A. Beattie doubles to left field, J. Miller scores. B. Carroll hits a home run to left field on a 2-0 pitch, A. Beattie scores. J. Wood singles to center field. Pitcher Change: G. Jones replaces M. Pinango, batting 7th. Defensive Substitution: W. Ruan replaces right fielder J. Repko, batting 9th. D. McPherson grounds out, K. Howard to J. Lindsey. 
      (5 Runs, 5 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

51s 5th (Isotopes 9, 51s 6) -- W. Ruan singles to deep shortstop. L. Maza hits a home run to right field on a 2-1 pitch, W. Ruan scores. X. Paul struck out looking. T. Tiffee singles to pitcher. J. Lindsey singles to center field, T. Tiffee to 2nd. A. LaRoche walks, T. Tiffee to 3rd; J. Lindsey to 2nd. K. Howard grounds into double play, E. De La Cruz to J. Baker to J. Wood, T. Tiffee out at home. 
      (2 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Isotopes 5th (Isotopes 10, 51s 6) -- J. Baker walks. A. Gomez grounds into double play, L. Maza to K. Howard to J. Lindsey, J. Baker out at 2nd. C. Barnwell walks. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter G. Psomas replaces E. De La Cruz. G. Psomas singles to center field, C. Barnwell to 3rd. J. Miller strikes out swinging, passed ball by D. Ardoin, C. Barnwell scores; G. Psomas to 2nd; J. Miller to 1st. A. Beattie grounds out to J. Lindsey. 
      (1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

51s 6th (Isotopes 10, 51s 6) -- Pitcher Change: M. Gwyn replaces E. De La Cruz, batting 9th. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter E. Stults replaces G. Jones. E. Stults strikes out swinging. D. Ardoin pops out to J. Wood. W. Ruan grounds out, C. Barnwell to J. Wood. 
      (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Isotopes 6th (Isotopes 17, 51s 6) -- Pitcher Change: R. Troncoso replaces G. Jones, batting 7th. B. Carroll flies out to X. Paul. J. Wood grounds out, K. Howard to J. Lindsey. D. McPherson walks. J. Baker reaches on fielding error by K. Howard, D. McPherson to 2nd. A. Gomez singles through the hole at shortstop, D. McPherson scores; J. Baker to 2nd. C. Barnwell singles to right field, J. Baker scores; A. Gomez to 3rd. M. Gwyn singles to right field, A. Gomez scores; C. Barnwell to 3rd. J. Miller singles through the hole at second base, C. Barnwell scores; M. Gwyn to 2nd. A. Beattie doubles through the hole at shortstop, M. Gwyn scores; J. Miller scores. B. Carroll singles to left field, A. Beattie scores. Defensive switch from shortstop to 2nd for L. Maza. Pitcher Change: G. Miller replaces R. Troncoso, batting 6th. Defensive Substitution: R. Rundgren replaces shortstop L. Maza, batting 7th. J. Wood grounds out, R. Rundgren to J. Lindsey. 
      (7 Runs, 6 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

51s 7th (Isotopes 17, 51s 16) -- L. Maza singles through the hole at second base. X. Paul flies out to A. Gomez. T. Tiffee hits a home run to right field on a 2-1 pitch, L. Maza scores. J. Lindsey singles to left field. A. LaRoche reaches on throwing error by J. Baker, J. Lindsey to 3rd. G. Miller singles to pitcher, J. Lindsey scores; A. LaRoche to 2nd. R. Rundgren reaches on force attempt, throwing error by M. Gwyn, A. LaRoche to 3rd; G. Miller to 2nd. D. Ardoin singles to center field, A. LaRoche scores; G. Miller to 3rd; R. Rundgren to 2nd. W. Ruan singles through the hole at shortstop, G. Miller scores; R. Rundgren to 3rd; D. Ardoin to 2nd. Pitcher Change: B. Villafuerte replaces M. Gwyn, batting 9th. L. Maza triples to center field, R. Rundgren scores; D. Ardoin scores; W. Ruan scores. X. Paul singles to deep second base, L. Maza scores. T. Tiffee strikes out swinging. J. Lindsey doubles to left-center field, X. Paul scores. A. LaRoche flies out to J. Miller. 
      (10 Runs, 9 Hits, 2 Errors, 1 LOB)

Isotopes 7th (Isotopes 18, 51s 16) -- D. McPherson strikes out swinging. J. Baker walks. A. Gomez walks, J. Baker to 2nd. Defensive switch from left field to 3rd for T. Tiffee. Pitcher Change: Y. Brazoban replaces G. Miller, batting 5th. Defensive Substitution: J. Griffin replaces left fielder T. Tiffee, batting 6th. C. Barnwell pops out to J. Lindsey on the infield fly rule. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter J. Gall replaces B. Villafuerte. J. Gall singles to shallow right field, J. Baker scores; A. Gomez to 3rd. J. Miller grounds out, Y. Brazoban to J. Lindsey. 
      (1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

51s 8th (Isotopes 18, 51s 16) -- Pitcher Change: J. Nelson replaces B. Villafuerte, batting 9th. J. Griffin flies out to A. Gomez. R. Rundgren struck out looking. D. Ardoin singles to right field. W. Ruan grounds into a force out, C. Barnwell to A. Beattie, D. Ardoin out at 2nd. 
      (0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Isotopes 8th (Isotopes 18, 51s 16) -- A. Beattie grounds out, L. Maza to J. Lindsey. B. Carroll strikes out swinging. J. Wood walks. D. McPherson walks, J. Wood to 2nd. J. Baker flies out to X. Paul. 
      (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

51s 9th (Isotopes 18, 51s 16) -- L. Maza ground bunts out, J. Nelson to J. Wood. X. Paul flies out to J. Miller. T. Tiffee grounds out to J. Wood. 
      (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Final: Isotopes 18, 51s 16

WP: Eulogio De La Cruz (3-1).
LP: Miguel Pinango (1-1).
SV: Joe Nelson (10).
Time: 3:18.
Attendance: 6888.
Official Scorer: Gary Herron.

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