Dallas McPherson Crushes Three Home Runs in Albuquerque Isotopes 8-7 Loss to Fresno Grizzlies

MLN - THE RAW FEED - www.mlntherawfeed.com - MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com - Albuquerque, NM - The Albuquerque Isotopes (46-62) dropped a heartbreaker as the tying run was thrown out at the plate in the bottom of the ninth to end the game, an 8-7 defeat to the Fresno Grizzlies (53-55) Sunday night at Isotopes Park. Dallas McPherson had his second three-homer game of the season to lead the offensive charge for the ‘Topes, becoming the first player in Isotopes history to belt three home runs in a game twice in a season.

Down by two runs in the ninth, the Isotopes mounted a two-out rally when Tommy Murphy singled to right-center, then took second on a defensive indifference and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With a runner on third, Tagg Bozied beat out a ground ball that was bobbled by third baseman Scott McClain, while Murphy scored bring the ‘Topes within a run, 8-7. Stepping up to the plate as the winning run, and with three homers already under his belt, McPherson hit a shallow pop fly that dropped, sending Bozied racing around the bases trying to score from first. Shortstop Jake Wald wheeled and fired the ball towards home, cutting down Bozied protecting the 8-7 victory for the Grizzlies.

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Fresno grabbed an early as in the second, Brian Horwitz slapped a one out single to right before safely reaching third on Justin Leone’s single to right field. Following a walk by Travis Denker, Eliezer Alfonzo singled to left field that driving in Horwitz and Leone for the early two-run Grizzlies advantage, 2-0, and advanced to second while Denker dashed to third on a throwing error by McPherson. Pitcher Pat Misch then singled through the hole at second base, plating Denker and increasing the lead to 3-0. Another Isotopes miscue led to the final run of the frame when, after Misch took off for second, catcher Brett Hayes fired to second baseman Chase Lambin, who then captured Misch in a rundown by throwing to first baseman Alberto Concepcion as Alfonzo simultaneously broke from third for home. Concepcion’s throw to the plate found Hayes, but the catcher’s relay back to third to catch the retreating baserunner eluded McPherson, sending Alfonzo trotting home to give the Grizz a 4-0 edge.

After the Grizzlies added a run in third on a solo homer by Travis Ishikawa, Albuquerque began to chip at the mighty lead in the bottom of the third when Hayes slugged a leadoff solo homer for the Isotopes’ first run, 5-1.

The Grizzlies added one more run in the fourth, before McPherson cracked his first homer in the fourth inning over the left field fence for Albuquerque’s second run, 6-2.

The Isotopes continued to chip away at Fresno’s lead when Albuquerque manufactured a run in the fifth when Hayes hit a double to right-center, then reliever Kenny Baugh laid down a sacrifice bunt Hayes to third. Murphy knocked in Hayes on a ground out that cut the lead in half, 6-3.

The Isotopes added another run in the sixth when McPherson launched his second blast of the game over the center field fence for Albuquerque’s fourth run, 6-4.

Ishikawa hit his second homer on the night, a two-out solo blast over the left field wall in the seventh, that gave the Grizzlies a four-run lead, 7-4.

Albuquerque continued to show off its power over the next two innings as Hayes hit his second homer of the game, a solo shot to left as the Isotopes kept chipping away at the Grizzlies lead, 7-5.

In his third consecutive at bat, McPherson added to his Isotopes record when he hit his 38^th of the season to right that brought the ‘Topes within a run, 7-6.

Fresno added what would be an important insurance run in the ninth when pinch hitter Brett Harper crushed a home run to left field that extended the Grizzlies advantage to two, 8-6.

The Isotopes look to return to their winning ways in game two of their series against the Fresno Grizzlies as right hander Frankie De La Cruz (10-5, 4.59) will take the mound for the ‘Topes against Grizzlies righty Matt Palmer (4-9, 4.03) a 7:05 PM first pitch Monday night at Isotopes Park.

Fresno Grizzlies (53-55) 8, Albuquerque Isotopes (46-62) 7
July 27, 2008

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Fresno	0	4	1	1	0	0	1	0	1	8	8	1
Albuquerque	0	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	7	12	3

Fresno	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Wald, SS	5	0	1	1	0	2	1	.268
Ortmeier, CF	5	0	0	0	0	2	3	.118
Ishikawa, 1B	4	2	2	2	0	0	2	.274
McClain, 3B	4	0	0	0	0	1	0	.302
Horwitz, LF	4	1	1	0	0	0	0	.299
Leone, RF	4	1	1	0	0	1	0	.235
Denker, T, 2B	2	2	0	0	2	1	0	.291
Alfonzo, C	4	1	1	2	0	0	1	.299
Misch, P	3	0	1	1	0	0	0	.125
Chulk, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
a-Harper, B, PH	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	.306
Gryboski, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.000
Totals	36	8	8	7	2	7	7	.270
a-Homered for Chulk in the 9th.
BATTING HR: Ishikawa 2 (8, 3rd inning off Trahern, 0 on, 0 out; 7th inning off Baugh, 0 on, 2 out), Harper, B (12, 9th inning off Kensing, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Wald; Ishikawa 8; Horwitz; Leone; Alfonzo; Misch; Harper, B 4. RBI: Alfonzo 2 (21), Misch (2), Ishikawa 2 (26), Wald (12), Harper, B (40). 2-out RBI: Ishikawa. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Ortmeier; Ishikawa. Team LOB: 3. FIELDING E: McClain (5, fielding).

Albuquerque	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Murphy, CF	5	1	1	1	0	0	1	.313
Mayorson, SS	5	0	1	0	0	0	2	.294
Bozied, LF	5	0	0	0	0	2	1	.302
McPherson, 3B	5	3	4	3	0	0	0	.297
Miller, Ja, RF	4	0	0	0	0	1	0	.263
Lambin, 2B	3	0	1	0	1	0	0	.323
Concepcion, 1B	4	0	1	0	0	1	1	.317
Hayes, C	4	3	3	2	0	1	2	.295
Trahern, P	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.182
Baugh, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.500
a-Wood, PH	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	.263
Wolf, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Kensing, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
b-Ryan, PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.167
Totals	38	7	12	6	1	6	7	.288
a-Singled for Baugh in the 7th. b-Lined out for Kensing in the 9th.
BATTING 2B: Hayes (2, Misch). HR: Hayes 2 (2, 3rd inning off Misch, 0 on, 0 out; 7th inning off Misch, 0 on, 1 out), McPherson 3 (38, 4th inning off Misch, 0 on, 0 out; 6th inning off Misch, 0 on, 1 out; 8th inning off Chulk, 0 on, 1 out). TB: Murphy; Mayorson; McPherson 13; Lambin; Concepcion; Hayes 10; Wood. RBI: Hayes 2 (5), McPherson 3 (82), Murphy (10). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Mayorson; Hayes. S: Baugh. Team LOB: 6. FIELDING E: McPherson (16, throw), Hayes (2, throw), Concepcion (2, fielding).

Fresno	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Misch (W, 6-3)	7.0	8	5	5	0	3	4	5.43
Chulk (H, 3)	1.0	2	1	1	1	3	1	3.38
Gryboski (S, 7)	1.0	2	1	0	0	0	0	4.54
Totals	9.0	12	7	6	1	6	5	4.71

Albuquerque	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Trahern (L, 4-9)	4.0	6	6	5	2	3	1	6.66
Baugh	3.0	1	1	1	0	1	1	5.65
Wolf	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3.86
Kensing	1.0	1	1	1	0	2	1	6.14
Totals	9.0	8	8	7	2	7	3	5.71

WP: Gryboski.
Pitches-strikes: Misch 95-65, Chulk 25-16, Gryboski 16-11, Trahern 80-47, Baugh 40-24, Wolf 10-6, Kensing 14-10.
Ground outs-fly outs: Misch 14-4, Chulk 0-0, Gryboski 0-2, Trahern 6-3, Baugh 4-4, Wolf 1-1, Kensing 1-0.
Batters faced: Misch 29, Chulk 6, Gryboski 5, Trahern 21, Baugh 10, Wolf 3, Kensing 4.
Umpires: HP: Jeff Macias. 1B: John Tumpane. 2B: . 3B: Jacob Uhlenhopp.
Weather: 81 degrees, overcast.
Wind: 25 mph, Out to LF.
T: 2:42.
Att: 8,293.

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