For the second game in a row, Las Vegas (6-10) got a first inning run only to struggle for offense over the rest of the game. Second baseman Dilson Herrera was back in the lineup Sunday afternoon and led off the bottom of the first with a line drive double to center. He came in to score on a two-out single by first baseman T.J. Rivera.
Rafael Montero made the start after returning to the 51s from a stint with the Mets. He gave up six hits and two runs over four innings, walking two and striking out four. He gave way for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fourth with Vegas down by a score of 2-1. But the scoring chance didn’t pan out so Montero remained on the hook. Dario Alvarez pitched the fifth, sidestepping trouble and striking out three in the inning. Erik Goeddel then endured a rocky inning after a lead off walk and an error by catcher Nevin Ashley. A double play nearly allowed him to remain unscathed, but a line drive to left by Isotopes catcher Nick Hundley plated the third Albuquerque run before Goeddel struck out the last batter.
Vegas right fielder Travis Taijeron led off the bottom of the sixth with a towering home run to right, his second of the year, to get the 51s back within one run. After pitching a scoreless seventh, Zack Thornton allowed a lead-off single in the eighth, issued an intentional walk and then allowed both runners to move up on a wild pitch. Albuquerque centerfielder Mike Tauchman‘s single to left plated two more, increasing the Isotopes’ lead by two.
Running out of time, the 51s rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth. Matt Reynolds led off with a double and Taijeron drew a walk with one out. Rivera then delivered a run-scoring double, his third hit of the game. After an RBI groundout by Centerfielder Brandon Nimmo, pinch hitter Ty Kelly drove in the tying run with a single to center.
Paul Sewald came into the newly tied game to pitch the ninth. Unfortunately, the tie didn’t last long as Albuquerque right fielder Jordan Patterson greeted Sewald with a triple to the wall in straightaway center. After a bloop single to right by left fielder Stephen Cardullo plated Patterson with the go-ahead run, Sewald retired the next three batters. But Las Vegas went down in order in the bottom of the inning, falling short by one for the second game in a row, this time by a score of 6-5.
Top Performers:
Rivera went 3-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Taijeron was 1-2 with a home run and two runs scored.
(photos by Jennifer Nieves)
