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PCL1 Albuquerque Isotopes

Isotopes win in dramatic fashion

June 12, 2008 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1)
Albuquerque Isotopes News Release


John Gall's single with one out in the bottom of the ninth capped a six-run comeback by the Albuquerque Isotopes (31-35) for a dramatic 8-7 triumph over the Round Rock Express (29-38) Thursday night at Isotopes Park. Arriving at The Lab only hours prior to first pitch, Lorenzo Scott had a memorable Triple-A debut as he collected three hits including the first Isotopes inside the park home run since 2006.

Tied at 7-7 in the bottom of the ninth, John Baker sparked the rally by leading off the inning by legging out a double in front of Jason Wood, who dropped a sacrifice bunt to that allowed Baker to sprint to third. Round Rock Manager Dave Clark then intentionally walked both Scott and Chris Barnwell to set up a force at every bag, but with the winning run only 90-feet away, Gall came through in the clutch, driving a one-out single to right that plated Baker with the game-winning run, 8-7.

The Isotopes jumped to an early lead in the second inning when Dallas McPherson extended his PCL-lead in homers when he destroyed an 0-2 offering from Express starter Josh Miller to the top tier of the berm in right field for Albuquerque's first run, 1-0.

Round Rock would respond with three runs in the top of the third until Scott, making the start after coming up from Double-A Carolina, excited the crowd in the bottom half of the inning by smashing a drive to the 428 foot sign in right-center field for an inside-the-park home run to narrow the Express advantage to one, 3-2. The round-tripper was the first inside-the-park dinger since Eric Reed accomplished the feat for Albuquerque in 2006.

After a three-run blast by Nick Gorneault in the sixth gave the Express a commanding 6-2 lead, the Isotopes began to come back. With two down in the bottom of the frame, Gall roped a double before Tagg Bozied knocked a two-run homer over the left-center field fence to cut the Round Rock's lead in half, 6-4.

In the eighth, Wood would single to center for Scott, who added his third hit of the game with a single to center to advance Wood to second. Barnwell laid down a textbook bunt single down the third base line to load the bases for Gall who hit an infield single deep in the shortstop hole that allowed Wood to score, reducing Round Rock's lead to just one. Bozied singled to left to tie the game at six by plating Scott, but when Barnwell attempted to score from second, he was thrown out at the plate on a perfect relay by left fielder Gorneault to catcher J.R. Towles. With Gall now on third, Andrew Beattie smacked a two-out single to left field to give the Isotopes the lead, 7-6.

The Express would not go quietly, however, tying the game the ninth on a trio of Isotopes relievers. Leadoff hitter Ramirez singled off Marc Gwyn, who was then replaced by Taylor Tankersley who yielded a sacrifice bunt to David Newhan before hitting Tomas Perez to give Round Rock two on with one out. Brandon Villafuerte then came on and allowed a single by J.R. House that tied the game by driving in Ramirez.

Villafuerte (3-2) and the Isotopes would have the last laugh though, as the reliever earned his third win of the season after the electric comeback sealed the 8-7 Isotopes victory.

Tomorrow, Albuquerque will begin a weekend series against the Omaha Royals as righty Dallas Trahern (1-5, 7.23) takes the ball for the 'Topes against O-Royals southpaw Horacio Ramirez (0-1, 4.50) with a 7:05 PM first pitch at Isotopes Park.

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Pacific Coast League Stories from June 12, 2008


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