The past few summers in Albuquerque have been a time for Lobo sports enthusiasts to go into hibernation. Sure, we could talk about the football team's chances next year or delve into the prospects of the basketball squad's new recruits, but those of us who thrive on live action are out of luck - until now.
On Monday night, I decided to go out and catch my first Albuquerque Isotopes game of the year, you know the triple-A baseball team with the beautiful new park. If action is what you are looking for, then Isotopes Park is the place for you to be this summer.
On the second pitch of the night, Portland Beavers' center fielder Jermaine Clark drove a 1-0 pitch deep down the right field line for what appeared to be a leadoff homer. Clark rounded the bases and returned to the dugout. Moments later, the umpires convened on the infield, ultimately decided the ball was foul and Clark was forced to return to the batters' box. Clark did precisely that and hit a scorching line drive that got under the glove of diving Isotopes center fielder Gerald Williams and scooted all the way to the wall. Clark speedily rounded the bases and looked like he just might get that home run after all, but perfect relays from right fielder Chris Ashby and shortstop Wicki Valdez to catcher Paul Hoover prevented that as Clark was thrown out at the plate.
All right, Clark and his two near homers were gone, now the game would settle down right - wrong. Three hits and two dingers later, the Beavers had jumped out to an early 3-0 lead.
"It was a weird night," Isotopes head coach Dean Treanor said.
Isotopes starting pitcher Doug Bochtler (5-3) admitted that he was having a hard time locating his pitches where he wanted.
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"If my catcher calls for a fastball inside and I leave it down the middle, it's going to get hit," he said.
In the bottom of the first the 'Topes attempted to stage an early comeback and were in good position to do so with runners on second and third and only one out. That was when the rain came. Yes, it does rain in Albuquerque every once in a while and the tarp crew did their job flawlessly in covering the field although Media Relations Coordinator Dave Bearman admitted that they had only gone through two trial runs this season.
For the next 54 minutes, fans scrambled to find shelter and were entertained by bloopers and highlights that were displayed on the big screen in center field.
Once play finally resumed, Portland inserted Jaret Wright (1-1) on the mound. Yes, the same Jaret Wright that started game seven for the Cleveland Indians in the 1997 World Series. After giving up a two-run single to Isotope third baseman James Wood that cut the Beaver lead to 3-2, Wright would settle down.
The same could not be said for Bochtler as he was knocked around for four more runs on five hits over the next two innings. Bochtler said that the rain delay did not affect him and pointed out that he only gave up two runs in each of the following innings as opposed to three in the first.
The lowest point for the Isotopes' starting pitcher came in the second when he gave up a two-run shot to right field by Wright.
"It was a first pitch fastball," Bochtler said. "I was trying to get ahead and it was up high. Balls high here fly a long way, it doesn't matter who hits it."
Wright said that it was the first home run of his professional career.
"I just got lucky," Wright said. "Being an American League pitcher we just swing as hard as we can and it hit the bat and went out. It was my first one and it was kind of exciting."
Offensively, the Isotopes went cold. In fact, Beaver pitchers combined to retire 12 straight 'Tope batters from the end of the first until the fifth when Williams doubled down the left field line with two outs.
Trailing 8-2 in the eighth, the Isotopes made things interesting. Once again it was Wood that delivered the clutch hit. Back-to-back singles by Matt Erickson and Derek Wathan to lead off the inning were rewarded when Wood drove them home with a two-run double.
"I felt good tonight," Wood said. "I saw the ball well and I hit the ball pretty good."
Unfortunately for the 'Topes, Wood was stranded on second base when pinch hitter Robert Stratton flied out to center to end the inning, however, the lead was cut to four, 8-4 going into the ninth.
Portland added a run in the top of the ninth on a solo shot by Mark Quinn padding its lead to 9-4. But the 'Topes would give their fans something to get excited about in the bottom frame.
A one-out single by pinch hitter Kevin Hooper followed by a two-run homer from Williams quickly cut the Beaver lead to three, 9-6. Erickson and Wathan followed with walks, which brought the tying run to the plate in Wood. But it was not meant to be on this night as Wood flew out to center and Ashby grounded out to the second baseman ending the threat and the game.
"We tried to come back and wound up coming back, bringing the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning," Treanor said. "You can't ask for anything more than that."
Although the Isotopes could not come away with a victory on this night, they did provide an entertaining game for any sports fan starving for quality athleticism. The 'Topes are in the midst of a four-game series with the division leading Colorado Springs Sky Sox and return home Saturday to face the Edmonton Trappers for a four-game set.
