May 20, 2023 – Pacific Coast League (PCL) – Albuquerque Isotopes News Release
Albuquerque, NM – After a 41-minute delay to start Game 1, the Isotopes took the opening contest, 6-1, before the Rainiers battled back in come-from-behind fashion to win Game 2, 6-3, and split the doubleheader Saturday night at RGCU Field.
Game 1: Dinelson Lamet fired 4.0 perfect innings in his second rehab start while Phillips Valdez tossed the final three frames and held the Rainiers to just two hits en route to a 6-1 win in Game 1.
On offense, Connor Kaiser belted a two-run homer in the fourth and Coco Montes, Aaron Schunk and Jimmy Herron each tallied two hits. Herron, Trevor Boone, Brian Serven and Elehuris Montero each recorded an RBI.
Game 2: The Rainiers plated four runs in the fifth frame and overcame a three-run deficit to defeat Albuquerque, 6-3, in Game 2.
Montero accounted for two of the runs on his two-run clout in the first frame while Daniel Cope drove in the third tally on an RBI single in the second.
Topes Scope: – After winning Game 1, the Isotopes won two games in-a-row for the first time since April 16-18, the finale at El Paso and the series opener vs. Oklahoma City.
-Albuquerque split its first doubleheader of the season. After the split, the Isotopes are 0-2-2 in twinbills against the Rainiers. All time, Albuquerque is 74-82 in doubleheaders (17 sweeps, 21 swept, 40 splits).
-Albuquerque relented just one run in Game 1, a season-low. The last time the Isotopes allowed just one run was July 16, 2022, at Sacramento.
-In Game 1, Lamet and Valdez held the Rainiers to two hits, a season-low. The last time Isotopes pitching held a team to two hits was May 23, 2019, at Las Vegas (1-0, 10 inn.). Additionally, the two righties did not allow an extra-base hit, the second time this season the club has held an opponent to no extra-base hits (also: April 2, at Round Rock).
-Montes recorded his team-leading 22nd multi-hit effort of the year in Game 1. He added another hit in Game 2. His 59 hits are tied with Reno’ Phillip Evans for the second-msot in all of MiLB (Ronny Mauricio, 64, Syracuse).
-Schunk registered his 11th multi-hit effort of the season in Game 1. Both hits were doubles, the second time this year he’s tallied two doubles (also: May 3, vs. Sugar Land). Five of his 11 multi-hit games have come over his last 13 contests.
-Nolan Jones tallied a double in Game 1 to extend his hitting streak to a modest six games. During the span, he is slashing .650/.731/.1.300 (13×20) with five doubles, one triple, two homers, six RBI and six walks.
-Herron stole a base in Game 1, giving him three over a two-game stretch, dating back to Thursday. Additionally, he tallied his 10th multi-hit contest of the year in Game 1.
-Montero collected three hits and three RBI over the two games, including a two-run blast in Game 2. He now as 10 homers and 30 RBI 23 games for the Isotopes. Since his first game on April 25, he is tied for the most homers in Triple-A (Christian Encarnacion-Strand) while tallying the most RBI.
-Cope drove in a run in Game 2. He has an RBI in three of his last four contests.
-Lamet hurled 4.0 perfect innings, the first time he threw at least 4.0 frames without allowing a run since June 20, 2021, with San Diego vs. Cincinnati.
-Valdez earned his third win of the season in Game 1 after tossing 3.0 innings and allowing one run on two hits and four walks while fanning five. It was his first relief appearance Sept. 22, 2022, with Tacoma vs. Round Rock.
-Between Ty Blach’s start Thursday and Lamet’s in Game 1, Isotopes starters combined for 9.0 shutout innings and just six hits while fanning six.
-Yonathan Daza’s six-game hitting streak came to an end in Game 1 after going 0-for-4.
-Albuquerque plated two first inning runs in Game 2, bringing its season total to an MiLB-leading 46 tallies in the opening stanza.
-The Isotopes relented four runs in the fifth frame of Game 2. Opponents have plated at least four runs in an inning 22 times this season.
-Albuquerque was held to three runs or fewer for the 12th time this year in Game 2, they are 0-12 in such contests.
-The Isotopes offense combined for just two strikeouts in Game 1, a season-low. It is the fewest since Aug. 1, 2021, also a doubleheader.
-Game 1 began in a 41-minute delay, the fifth delay of the season and the longest. It was the second delay this series.
On Deck: The Isotopes and Rainiers meet for the series finale Sunday at 1:35 pm at RGCU Field. Albuquerque’s starter hasn’t been announced while Tacoma is slated to start Darren McCaughan. The first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive the 2023 Isotopes Team Poster, courtesy of Gateway Insurance & Financial Services.
• Discuss this story on the Pacific Coast League message board…
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
report this ad
