After dropping their first series in Oklahoma City, the Isotopes returned to Albuquerque last week and dropped four of their six games against the Reno Aces.
On Tuesday, March 31, starting pitcher Gabriel Hughes began the first game of the series by collecting two of his eventual eight strikeouts that night, tying his career record.
Albuquerque and Reno traded runs in the second inning, but both clubs sat at a standstill until the Aces broke through with third baseman LuJames Groover's go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning. The score held at 2-1 through to the eighth inning, when the Aces scored 6 runs, highlighted by a 3-run double from center fielder Ryan Waldschmidt. With a final score of 8-1, the Aces spoiled the Isotopes’ home opener.
Game two was a pitchers’ duel. The only run of the game came from the Aces in the top of the fifth inning, when right-fielder Kristian Robinson hit a fly ball to his counterpart, right-fielder Sterlin Thompson, who lost it in the lights, resulting in a triple. Aces second baseman Jacob Amaya promptly drove him in on a sacrifice fly. That moment held up as the game-winning swing, as it ended with the Aces up 1-0 — the first time since Memorial Day 2014 and the third time ever that a game ended 1-0 in Isotopes Park.
The Isotopes ended their four-game losing streak in game three. It was another low-scoring affair that saw the Isotopes trailing 1-0 in the sixth inning until Robinson misplayed a ball, allowing a run to score on a double by outfielder Zac Veen that tied the game. The tie held until the bottom of the eighth, when Vimael Machín came through with a 2-run double that held up as the game-winner. Reliever Seth Halvorsen secured his second save of the year and closed out a 3-1 win, giving Albuquerque their first home win of 2026.
“It’s always a good feeling to come through in a situation like that and be the one to get the big hit. It led to a win and that’s all that really matters,” Machin said.
Friday night saw the Aces break a scoreless tie in the fifth inning as Amaya and Jack Hurley picked up RBI singles that plated 3 runs. The Aces broke the game wide open with a 4-run sixth inning highlighted by a 3-run home run from AJ Vukovich. The Aces took game four 8-0.
Reno got on the board first in game five with a home run from Robinson in the second inning. The Isotopes would not be shutout this time though, as second baseman Adael Amador tied the game with an RBI single in the fourth. This was the start of a 5-0 run from the fourth inning to the seventh inning, highlighted by a go-ahead single from left fielder Ryan Ritter in the fifth inning and Cole Carrigg’s steal of home after checking into the game as a pinch runner on first basein the seventh . This was just the third “straight” steal of home in Isotopes history and it ended up being the difference in this game.
“I have a lot of experience with that in college and high school, especially against a left-handed pitcher,” Carigg said. “It seemed like a good opportunity and I’m glad it helped the team win.”
The Aces made it interesting in the late innings, but pinch runner Anderson Rojas was thrown out at third base, representing the tying run, and Collin Baumgartner held on for the Isotopes to close out a 5-4 win and nab his first save of the year.
The series finale was the only game in the series where the Isotopes drew first blood. Catcher Andrew Knizner drove in a run with his first base hit of the year, the only one until Vukovich bit the Isotopes again with an RBI triple to knot the game at 1-1 in the seventh. Aces third baseman Jean Walters hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the eighth, but Knizner, who accounted for Albuquerque's only offense, tied the game with a bomb of his own. Unfortunately for the Isotopes, Aces catcher Aramis Garcia had the final word through a ninth inning home run, the game winner in a 3-2 ballgame to give Reno the series.
The Isotopes will look to bounce back on the road against the El Paso Chihuahuas starting Tuesday, April 7 for another six-game set.
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Elizabeth Bolke is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo
Marley Herndon is a beat reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @Dailylobo
