PCL Baseball: Powerful Isotopes smother Cubs

James Barron | The New Mexican

6/21/2008 - 6/22/08

ALBUQUERQUE — One inning was the blemish to a finely honed gem.

For a total of eight innings, the Iowa Cubs were hit hitless and scoreless. But they can thank the sixth inning — and Albuquerque Isotopes ace Frankie De La Cruz — for avoiding an ignominious fate.

A six-run, five-hit outburst was all that separated the Cubs from the prospect of a no-hitter. It also added some temporary drama to an eventual 10-6 win for the Isotopes in front of a crowd of 11,964 at Isotopes Park in Pacific Coast League baseball on Saturday night.

The series opener between the two clubs started off as a laugher as Albuquerque posted 10 runs through the first two frames. Then it slowly transformed into drama as Frankie De La Cruz faced the minimum number of batters through five innings.

Only Andres Blanco's walk in the fourth inning prevented perfection to that point, although he was erased on a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

But the tension broke on the first pitch of the sixth when Koyle Hill stroked a single just past second baseman Andrew Beattie's dive. Blanco followed with a single and reliever Hector Carrasco walked to load the bases.

Andres Torres obliterated the shutout in one swing as his grand slam landed in the berm behind right field.

De La Cruz (9-3) further scuffed his performance when he hit Jason Dubois with a pitch. Ben Broussard then took the next pitch and floated it into the Cubs bullpen beyond left-center for 10-6. That one inning gave De La Cruz his worst outing since giving up six runs in five innings in an 18-16 win over the Las Vegas 51s on April 30.

Hitting coach Steve Phillips, who is the acting manager as Dean Treanor serves a three-game suspension handed out by the PCL last week, said the right-hander might have lost his concentration after giving up the first hit.

"He just wasn't the same guy," Phillips said. "He kind of lost it right there. He's got to be able to recover after giving up a hit. So what if you give up a hit? You're still pitching a great game, and you got to be able to maintain that focus and you got to finish off to the end."

De La Cruz gave up a double to Bobby Scales before getting out of the inning. After that, the Cubs had only two baserunners, and both came in the ninth. A Casey McGehee walk was followed by a throwing error by Beattie on Scales' grounder. But reliever Marcus Gwyn got a double play and a groundout to preserve the win.

The evening started much easier than it ended, as the first inning saw 10 Isotopes step up to the plate and six scored. John Gall got the snowball rolling with a bases-loaded 60-foot chopper to third baseman McGehee, who hesitated to get Lorenzo Scott at home, then flipped to first base. The throw was beyond Daryle Ward's reach, which allowed Jai Miller to score for 2-0.

Beattie had an RBI single, then Chase Lambin slapped a bases-loaded triple to the center field berm for 6-0.

The power was turned in the second as Jai Miller and Dallas McPherson each hit solo homers and John Baker had a two-run shot for 10-0.

But the Isotopes had only two hits the rest of the way as Cubs reliever Hector Carrasco gave up a single and a walk over four innings.

"He kept us off-balance," Phillips said. "We hit a couple of balls hard, but weren't able to string anything together. I guess it's fortunate for us that he threw four so we won't see him for a couple of days."

Notes: Treanor initially was going to serve his suspension during the June 30-July 3 series at Round Rock, but the Marlins asked for it to begin immediately, which the PCL approved on Saturday. Treanor is set to miss the first three games of the series against the Cubs before returning on Tuesday.

The suspension came after the league reviewed the altercation between the Isotopes and the Express on June 11, which was the second in as many nights. Right-hander Gaby Hernandez was handed a five-game suspension, which ends today.

Contact James Barron at 986-3045 or jbarron@sfnewmexican.com

UP NEXT

Iowa Cubs (43-33) at Albuquerque Isotopes (36-38)

When: Today, 6:05 p.m.

Where: Isotopes Park

Probable starters: RHP Justin Berg (1-4, 6.64 ERA) vs. LHP Chris Michalak (0-1, 9.64)

Radio: 610 AM, KNML