Recapish

The
Las Vegas 51s salvaged one win from their series in Albuquerque Sunday night by
outslugging the Isotopes in a PCL classic. The 51s held leads of 10-4 and 13-5
in this game, but Albuquerque would storm back against Kyle Regnault and Ben
Rowen to make this a close game late. Fortunately for Las Vegas, reliever Kevin
McGowan came in and shut the door in the 9th so the 51s could end
the first half on a high note.

Las
Vegas jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the 1st thanks to a Travis
Taijeron RBI single, although they probably should’ve been able to get more in
the frame. Isotopes starter Sam Howard walked three batters in the 1st,
which ended up loading the bases with just one out and the first run already in,
but the 51s couldn’t get a second run home.

The
Isotopes wasted little time getting that run back and then some. Mike Tauchman
doubled Domonic Brown to third in the 1st, and both runners would come
around to score and give Albuquerque a 2-1 lead.

The
51s then started taking control of this game with five runs over the next two
frames. Phillip Evans led off the 2nd with a single, went to second
on a sac bunt, and then came around to score on a two out single from Gavin
Cecchini.

Evans

Cecchini

Travis
Taijeron doubled to spark the 51s 3rd inning rally. He came home
three batters later on a Xorge Carrillo double, and then Evans launched a three
run homer to make this a 6-2 game. Starter Ricky Knapp connected for his first
hit of the game in the frame.

Taijeron

Carrillo

Evans

Knapp

Unfortunately
for Las Vegas, after a long half-inning away from the mound, which included
some time on the bases, Knapp struggled to start the bottom of the 3rd.
He allowed three extra base hits to the first three batters of the game before
settling down to retire three in a row, which included a strikeout of Tom
Murphy (also shown below is his first strikeout of the game, Derrik Gibson from
the 2nd inning).

K #1

K #2

Las
Vegas put up a second straight four run frame in the 4th thanks to a
pair of bombs. Dom Smith singled ahead of a Josh Rodriguez homer, and then Cody
Decker singled ahead of a Xorge Carrillo homer, and suddenly the 51s were in
control with a 10-4 lead. Knapp added his second hit during the frame.

Smith

J Rod

Decker

Carrillo

Knapp

This
time Knapp responded to the long half-inning with a quickish half-inning of his
own in the bottom of the 4th. He struck out Jerry Vasto and faced
just one over the minimum during the frame, but still needed 18 pitches after
issuing a walk.

K #3

Cecchini at shortstop

Smith
added a single in the 5th.

Albuquerque’s
Mike Tauchman greeted Knapp with a homer in the 5th, which made this
a 10-5 game. Knapp would strikeout Murphy again later in the frame.

K #4

The
51s had one last scoring outburst left in them for the 6th, and they
did it all with two outs. Evans kept the frame alive with a single, and then
Knapp and Jiovanni Mier followed with singles to load up the bases for Gavin
Cecchini. Cecchini came through with a bases clearing double, his 19th
of the season, which gave Las Vegas an eight-run lead.

Evans

Knapp

Cecchini

Despite
the huge deficit, the Isotopes weren’t going to go into the All Star break
quietly, and they still had hopes of a series sweep in their mind. The ‘topes
would rally for six runs on eight hits (including three doubles and two homers)
against three Las Vegas pitchers over the next three frames, which made this a
tight 13-11 game after eight innings.

Rowen K #1

Rowen K #2

Rowen K #3

Las
Vegas had some created some scoring
opportunities after the 6th, but they just couldn’t add on. Taijeron
and Carrillo singled in the 7th, and then J-Rod doubled in the 9th,
but the rest of the lineup couldn’t do anything to advance those runners.

Taijeron

Carrillo

J Rod

With
momentum on the Isotopes side, Las Vegas went to one of their most reliable
relievers from the first half for the 9th: Kevin McGowan. McGowan
came in and retired the side in order on just twelve pitches, striking out
former teammate Derrik Gibson along the way.

Looking
ahead, aside from Amed Rosario, this entire team gets a much-needed three-day
rest as the league goes on an All-Star break. Rosario will be in Tacoma for the
Triple-A All-Star game Wednesday night, but the rest of the team will head back
to Vegas and rest up for a weekend series with these Isotopes that begins
Thursday night.