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

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Tucson - 1  Albuquerque - 6  Box Score attached. - The Albuquerque Isotopes (16-14) jumped on the board early and never looked back en route to a 6-1 victory over the Tucson Sidewinders (10-22) Monday afternoon in front of a season-high crowd of 13,013. Starter Frankie De La Cruz provided a much-needed solid outing, tossing seven scoreless innings and striking out nine to prevent the series sweep.

For the first time all series, Albuquerque silenced the Sidewinders in the first inning as De La Cruz sandwiched only a double between three strikeouts. This time around the ‘Topes were the ones to strike first in the first. After a John Gall walk, Jason Wood sent a 2-2 offering over the fence in left center for his third home run of the season to give Albuquerque a quick 2-0 lead.

The ‘Topes would push their lead to 3-0 in the fifth. With two outs, Andrew Beattie singled to left and advanced to second on a throwing error by Trent Oeltjen. Gall would score Beattie exactly one batter later, roping an RBI double to left center.

Albuquerque used a little de ja vu to capitalize again in the seventh. As in the fifth, Beattie started the scoring with a single and was followed with another Gall double to left center, putting runners on first and third. Dallas McPherson would plate both base runners with a single up the middle to extend the lead 5-0.

Chris Barnwell led off the eighth with a sharp single to right, while David Brinkley and Jai Miller were each issued free passes to load the bases with no outs. Despite the golden opportunity, the ‘Topes mustered only one run courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Gall, padding the lead at 6-0.

De La Cruz (4-1), who allowed only five hits and one walk, came just one strikeout shy of his career-high 10 and earned his team-high fourth victory of the season. Randy Williams entered in the eighth, striking out two of his own before the Joe Nelson took over in the ninth to surrender the only Sidewinders run of the game, an RBI single from Wilkin Castillo. The Isotopes pitching staff struck out a total 12 batters overall.

Albuquerque Isotopes 6, Tucson Sidewinders 1             Play-by-Play
May 5, 2008

Sidewinders starting lineup:
Emilio Bonifacio (2B), Alex Romero (CF), Trot Nixon (RF), Josh Whitesell (1B), Trent Oeltjen (LF), Don Kelly (3B), Wilkin Castillo (C), Jesus Merchan (SS), Juan Gutierrez (P),

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

Umpires -- Chris Griffith (HP), Cory Blaser (1B), (2B), John Brammer (3B).

Gametime Weather: 76 degrees, Sunny.
Wind: 6 MPH, Varies.

First pitch by E. De La Cruz at 12:07 PM local time.

Sidewinders 1st (Sidewinders 0, Isotopes 0) -- E. Bonifacio strikes out swinging. A. Romero strikes out swinging. T. Nixon doubles to right field. With J. Whitesell batting, passed ball by J. Baker, T. Nixon to 3rd. J. Whitesell strikes out swinging. 
      (0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Isotopes 1st (Isotopes 2, Sidewinders 0) -- J. Miller grounds out, J. Whitesell to J. Gutierrez. A. Beattie grounds out, E. Bonifacio to J. Whitesell. J. Gall walks. J. Wood hits a home run to left field on a 2-2 pitch, J. Gall scores. D. McPherson strikes out swinging. 
      (2 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Sidewinders 2nd (Isotopes 2, Sidewinders 0) -- T. Oeltjen pops out to C. Barnwell. D. Kelly strikes out swinging, J. Baker to J. Wood. W. Castillo walks. J. Merchan strikes out swinging. 
      (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Isotopes 2nd (Isotopes 2, Sidewinders 0) -- J. Baker singles to center field. C. Lambin flies out to A. Romero. C. Barnwell flies out to A. Romero. E. De La Cruz walks, J. Baker to 2nd. J. Miller grounds into a force out, E. Bonifacio to J. Merchan, E. De La Cruz out at 2nd. 
      (0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Sidewinders 3rd (Isotopes 2, Sidewinders 0) -- J. Gutierrez strikes out swinging, J. Baker to J. Wood. E. Bonifacio grounds out to J. Wood. A. Romero grounds out to J. Wood. 
      (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Isotopes 3rd (Isotopes 2, Sidewinders 0) -- A. Beattie strikes out swinging. J. Gall strikes out swinging. J. Wood grounds out, D. Kelly to J. Whitesell. 
      (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Sidewinders 4th (Isotopes 2, Sidewinders 0) -- T. Nixon grounds out, C. Lambin to J. Wood. J. Whitesell grounds out, C. Barnwell to J. Wood. T. Oeltjen doubles through the hole at second base. D. Kelly grounds out, D. McPherson to J. Wood. 
      (0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Isotopes 4th (Isotopes 2, Sidewinders 0) -- D. McPherson strikes out swinging. J. Baker walks. C. Lambin struck out looking. C. Barnwell strikes out swinging. 
      (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Sidewinders 5th (Isotopes 2, Sidewinders 0) -- W. Castillo flies out to J. Gall. J. Merchan singles to left field. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter P. Avlas replaces J. Gutierrez. With P. Avlas batting, wild pitch by E. De La Cruz, J. Merchan to 2nd. P. Avlas lines out to C. Lambin. E. Bonifacio strikes out swinging. 
      (0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Isotopes 5th (Isotopes 3, Sidewinders 0) -- Pitcher Change: D. Glant replaces J. Gutierrez, batting 9th. E. De La Cruz grounds out, D. Glant to J. Whitesell. J. Miller strikes out swinging. A. Beattie singles to left-center field, A. Beattie advances to 2nd on throwing error by T. Oeltjen. J. Gall doubles to left-center field, A. Beattie scores. J. Wood strikes out swinging. 
      (1 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 1 LOB)

Sidewinders 6th (Isotopes 3, Sidewinders 0) -- A. Romero singles to center field. With T. Nixon batting, wild pitch by E. De La Cruz, A. Romero to 2nd. T. Nixon struck out looking. J. Whitesell strikes out swinging, A. Romero steals 3rd base. T. Oeltjen grounds out to J. Wood. 
      (0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Isotopes 6th (Isotopes 3, Sidewinders 0) -- D. McPherson grounds out, D. Glant to J. Whitesell. J. Baker walks. C. Lambin singles through the hole at second base, J. Baker to 3rd. C. Barnwell strikes out swinging. E. De La Cruz strikes out swinging. 
      (0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Sidewinders 7th (Isotopes 3, Sidewinders 0) -- D. Kelly flies out to J. Gall. W. Castillo grounds out, C. Lambin to J. Wood. J. Merchan grounds out to J. Wood. 
      (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Isotopes 7th (Isotopes 5, Sidewinders 0) -- J. Miller strikes out swinging. A. Beattie singles through the hole at second base. J. Gall doubles to left-center field, A. Beattie to 3rd. J. Wood struck out looking. D. McPherson singles up the middle, A. Beattie scores; J. Gall scores. With J. Baker batting, wild pitch by D. Glant, D. McPherson to 2nd. J. Baker walks. Defensive switch from 3rd to shortstop for D. Kelly. Pitcher Change: J. Peguero replaces D. Glant, batting 8th. Defensive Substitution: J. D'Antona replaces pitcher D. Glant, batting 9th, playing 3rd. C. Lambin strikes out swinging. 
      (2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Sidewinders 8th (Isotopes 5, Sidewinders 0) -- J. D'Antona singles to pitcher. Defensive switch from center field to right field for J. Miller. Defensive switch from right field to 2nd for A. Beattie. Pitcher Change: R. Williams replaces E. De La Cruz, batting 7th. Defensive Substitution: D. Brinkley replaces pitcher E. De La Cruz, batting 9th, playing center field. E. Bonifacio grounds into a force out, R. Williams to A. Beattie, J. D'Antona out at 2nd. A. Romero strikes out swinging. T. Nixon strikes out swinging. 
      (0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Isotopes 8th (Isotopes 6, Sidewinders 0) -- C. Barnwell singles to right-center field. D. Brinkley walks, C. Barnwell to 2nd. J. Miller walks, C. Barnwell to 3rd; D. Brinkley to 2nd. A. Beattie out on a sacrifice fly to T. Nixon, C. Barnwell scores; D. Brinkley to 3rd. J. Gall strikes out swinging. J. Wood grounds out, J. Whitesell to J. Peguero. 
      (1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Sidewinders 9th (Isotopes 6, Sidewinders 1) -- Pitcher Change: J. Nelson replaces R. Williams, batting 7th. J. Whitesell hit by pitch. T. Oeltjen strikes out swinging. D. Kelly doubles to right-center field, J. Whitesell to 3rd. W. Castillo singles to left field, J. Whitesell scores; D. Kelly to 3rd. Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter T. RainesJr. replaces J. Peguero. T. RainesJr. grounds into double play, A. Beattie to C. Barnwell to J. Wood, W. Castillo out at 2nd. 
      (1 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Final: Isotopes 6, Sidewinders 1

WP: Eulogio De La Cruz (4-1).
LP: Juan Gutierrez (1-5).
Time: 2:49.
Attendance: 13013.
Official Scorer: Gary Herron.

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