PCL: Isotopes get hit with a double loss

Memphis deals blows with long ball as 'Topes come through with only eight hits

| The New Mexican

6/18/2008 - 6/19/08

The news didn't get any better for the Albuquerque Isotopes on Wednesday afternoon.

A day after airline delays forced the postponement of the series opener against the Memphis Redbirds, the Isotopes were swept by the Redbirds in a doubleheader, 3-1 and 5-4, in front of a crowd of 9,074 in Pacific Coast League baseball at Autozone Park.

Albuquerque (34-38) had eight hits on the day, but three were home runs — all of which came in Game 2. Solo shots by Jai Miller (in the second inning), Dallas McPherson (third) and Tagg Bozied (sixth) trimmed a 5-1 Memphis lead after the first inning, but they represented all of the Isotopes' hits.

The Redbirds' damage also came via the long ball, as Rico Washington's grand slam and a D'Angelo Jimenez solo blast accounted for all of their runs. All the runs came against Isotopes starter Chris Michalak (0-1).

In the opener, Albuquerque scored in the first as Chris Barnwell came home on David Frese's fielding error of a Bozied grounder at third base. It was the only run surrendered by Redbirds starter P.J. Walters, who gave up five hits while striking out eight over six innings to improve to 6-1.

Memphis (38-36) tied the score in the bottom of the first on Colby Rasmus' RBI-single and took the lead on Nick Stavinoha's solo homer off of Isotopes starter Chris Seddon in the third.

Note: Michalak started in place of Dallas Trahern in response to Gaby Hernandez's five-game suspension on Monday. Trahern (1-6, 6.70 ERA) starts today and the rest of the rotation is pushed back a day. No starter has been announced for Hernandez's slot on Sunday against the Iowa Cubs.