PCL: Victory gets Isotopes back on track

| The New Mexican

6/19/2008 - 6/20/08

Just when it looked like the Albuquerque Isotopes were about to give back a three-game
winning streak, they found a way to avoid that fate.

The Isotopes withstood an eighth-inning rally by the host Memphis Redbirds, then tacked on some more run support for an 11-6 win Thursday night in front of a crowd of 8,102 at AutoZone Park in Pacific Coast League baseball.

Down 7-5, the Redbirds (38-37) put the tying run at second base with no outs, but Isotopes reliever Marcus Gwyn came in and allowed a single run while escaping the jam without further damage. Reprieved, Albuquerque (35-38) tallied four runs in the ninth to leave no doubt about the outcome.

Andrew Beattie led off the inning with a home run, Lorenzo Scott added an RBI bunt single, Chris Barnwell drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk and Scott scored on Jason Wood's bases-loaded force out for 11-6.

Their efforts prevented a three-game losing streak, which would have negated their winning streak, which coincided with taking three of four home games from the Omaha Royals.

Dallas Trahern (2-5) was made a winner despite allowing five runs in five innings as Memphis trimmed a 6-0 deficit after a half-inning. The Isotopes hammered former American League All-Star Mark Mulder, who is on a rehab assignment after a series of shoulder ailments since 2006, for all of those runs. Five of them came on four straight two-out singles.

Mulder (0-3) threw 85 pitches while going 3 2/3 innings, allowing 10 hits and two walks.

The Isotopes face another rehabbing starter today in Matt Clement, who also has been out with a shoulder injury since 2006. It is his Redbirds debut.

Albuquerque counters with right-hander Bobby Keppel, who is 7-6 with a 4.97 earned run average.