After a rollercoaster of a series in Round Rock, the Albuquerque Isotopes returned home to host the Tacoma Rainiers. The late-game woes continued for the Isotopes as they lost four games but managed to cap off the series well, winning two of the last three games.
Albuquerque came into game one on a two-game losing streak and looking to turn things around, but that did not happen as they lost by a score of 6-3 to open up the series. They started off well by countering an opening run with two of their own, giving them a one-run lead after two innings.
As the game went on, the defense made mistakes by allowing ground balls to get past players in the infield. The Rainiers broke through in the fifth inning, where they scored four runs to take the lead. The Isotopes managed to out-hit Tacoma 11 to 10, as catcher Bryant Betancourt led the team with 3 hits, a run and a run batted in.
Game two was another chance for Isotopes to close the door on a victory, but instead it broke into a 5-2 loss in extra innings. Center fielder Drew Avans gave the team a go-ahead score by walking home in the bottom of the eighth, yet a wild pitch led to a game-tying score for Tacoma. With this win, the Rainiers extended their possession of the series with a two-game lead.
Game three was a must-win for Albuquerque to get back into this series, and still they failed to deliver down the stretch in a wild 9-8 loss in another ten-inning contest. Isotopes left fielder Sterlin Thompson appeared to hit the game-winning double with two runs batted in in the eighth inning, giving the team another chance to wrap up the game.
Instead, the Isotopes allowed a game-tying home run, sending the game to extra innings. Albuquerque still had a chance with two players on base and down one, before a groundout ended the potential comeback.
It took four games, but the Isotopes finally found an answer for the Rainiers with an 11-6 victory in game four. After giving up an early lead, Albuquerque erupted in the fifth with five runs to retake the lead, three of which coming from a home run by catcher Braxton Fulford, who had 2 HR and 4 RBI.
Albuquerque had their best game of the series thus far, earning a collective 14 hits. Avans, who led the team in hits (4) and runs (4).
The momentum of game four did not carry into game five, as the Isotopes fell 6-2, clinching a series loss. After first baseman Charlie Condon hit a home run in the sixth, Albuquerque held a brief two-run lead and led most of the game, before Tacoma took it away with four runs to start the seventh.
“Grand Slam Charlie” arrived for Bark in the Park on Sunday, as the Isotopes finished the series on a proper note by winning game six 10-6. After he had hit a go-ahead grand slam early in the ball game, Condon had his number called again in a tie game with the bases loaded for some more magic. Condon rose to the occasion again as he hit the game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning.
“Definitely huge to finish with an exclamation point this week,” Condon said after the game. “I'd like to give some credit to Barkin the Park for sure. I wish I had a dog here, it's always a fun atmosphere. I think we're kind of meshing as a group really well right now. To have that momentum in the back half of the week is huge. The guys will be pretty excited to get out there in Reno and then come finish strong here.”
Condon finished his day with 4 hits, 2 grand slams and 9 RBI.
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The team is now in Reno to play the Aces for their last road series of the season. At the time of publication, the Isotopes lead the Aces two games to zero in a six-game series, and will return on Sept. 15 to take on the Salt Lake Bees at home in their last series of the season.
Albuquerque also sits 11 league games behind the Pacific Coast League leaders, the Oklahoma City Comets, in the race to see who will take on the Las Vegas Aviators in the League Championship Series.
Alex Joe is a freelance videographer for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @DailyLobo
