The Albuquerque Isotopes received five scoreless innings from four relievers to hold on for a 5-4 victory over the Beavers in Portland on Monday afternoon.
With the victory, Albuquerque (60-61) temporarily pulled to within 3½ games of Oklahoma City (63-57) in the American South Division, pending the outcome of the RedHawks' night game against Las Vegas.
The Isotopes trailed, 4-3, going into the sixth inning when Xavier Paul led off with a double to right field.
After a John Lindsey groundout moved Paul to third, Russ Mitchell drove him in for the tying run with a sacrifice fly to right.
In the seventh, Justin Sellers and Michael Restovich hit back-to-back singles with one out. Trent Oeltjen grounded into a force play, but first baseman Wily Mo Pena's throw to third went awry, loading the bases.
Ivan De Jesus Jr. followed with another sac-fly to right that put Albuquerque ahead for good.
Jon Link (3-1) earned the victory with two scoreless innings of relief. He allowed just one hit and struck out four.
Link was followed by Travis Schlichting, Juan Perez and Scott Dohmann, who combined to shut out the Beavers (48-75) over the last three innings of the game. Dohmann picked up his 13th save by inducing three flyball outs in the ninth.
Knuckleballer Charlie Haeger came off the disabled list to start the game for the Isotopes, but he allowed two runs in the first inning on a two-run homer by Craig Stansberry. Haeger lasted just two innings, walking five batters.
The Isotopes loaded the bases in the second with no outs. Lindsey scored on a double-play groundout, and Sellers followed with his second home run in as many days for a 3-2 Albuquerque lead.
Josh Lindblom came on for Haeger in the third, but he promptly gave up a double to Mike Baxter and walked Pena. After retiring the next two batters, Lindblom hit Chris Stewart with a pitch and gave up a two-run single to former Isotope Nick Green.
Josh Geer (9-10) took the loss for Portland, giving up five runs, four earned, on seven hits and two walks over seven innings.
Albuquerque will bus up to Tacoma (63-58) to start a four-game series Tuesday at 8 p.m.
Notes
- The Isotopes will start right-hander Tim Corcoran (5-8, 7.04 ERA) on Tuesday against Rainiers right-hander Andrew Baldwin (7-7, 5.58).
- Right-hander Claudio Vargas, who took the loss on Sunday, was given his release to make room for Haeger. Vargas, 32, went 2-6 with a 5.89 ERA in 10 starts for Albuquerque after the Dodgers signed him as a free agent in June. He was 1-0 with a 7.32 ERA in 17 relief appearances for the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this season.
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