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Isotopes win in 10-inning affair, 11-7
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The Albuquerque Isotopes (44-41) erupted for four runs in the 10th inning to coast to an exciting 11-7 series-opening win over the Memphis Redbirds (41-44) Wednesday night at AutoZone Park.
Jamie Hoffmann tied a Isotopes team season-high with six RBI while Tony Abreu chipped in three hits in the thrilling extra-inning victory. Things looked bleak for Albuquerque, who trailed 6-3 heading into the top of the eighth, until a two-out rally turned the game around. Sergio Garcia led off the frame with a double and raced home when pinch-hitter Juan Gonzalez roped a single to center that trimmed the advantage to two runs at 6-4.
After Abreu reached on an error by Redbirds third baseman Brett Wallace, Hoffmann launched a two-out, three-run homer to left that gave Albuquerque a 7-6 lead.
Memphis immediately answered in the bottom of the frame when Jon Jay roped a lead-off single, advanced to second on a sacrifice by Tyler Greene, and scored on a seeing-eye single up the middle by Daniel Descalso to knot the game at 7-7.
The game would stay dead-locked until the top of the 10th, when Albuquerque erupted for its second four-run frame of the contest. J.D. Closser started things off by lining a one-out single, and advanced safely to second when shortstop Greene mishandled a groundball by Abreu for the third Redbirds error of the evening. After Chin-Lung Hu was hit by a pitch to load the bases, the red-hot Hoffmann scorched a single to left that plated two and put Albuquerque up 9-7.
The outfielder’s six RBI on the night tied a club-high set by Mitch Jones and Hector Luna earlier this season. The Isotopes were far from finished, however, as super pinch-hitter Luis Maza knocked a two-run double that sent the ‘Topes to an 11-7 advantage. Although not a save situation, closer Scott Strickland ensured there would be no more noise from the Memphis bats, retiring the ‘Birds in order in the bottom of the 10th to seal the 11-7 win.
Albuquerque plated a run in the first, on a Hoffmann RBI groundout no less, only to have Memphis tie the game with a run in the second and take a 2-1 lead with a tally in the bottom of the third. The Isotopes punched back with two in the fourth on an RBI single by starting pitcher Josh Lindblom and a run-scoring double by Abreu to grab a 3-2 lead, but handed it right back when the ‘Birds plated three in the bottom of the fourth and another single run in the bottom of the fifth to grab what seemed to be a comfortable 6-3 lead.
Albuquerque will continue its five-game pre-All-Star Break series with the Redbirds behind right-hander Giancarlo Alvarado (6-6, 3.62), who will tussle with Memphis righty Mitchell Boggs (3-4, 5.90) in a 6:05 PM MT start on Thursday at AutoZone Park.
