Home › Sports › Isotopes
Isotopes: Comeback kids help save bullpen
Most recent Trib stories
Rally time
Here's a breakdown of the Isotopes' comeback in Game Two of a doubleheader Thursday night:
Scott Seabol leads off with a bloop single to center.
Brett Carroll triples to center, scoring Seabol and cutting the RedHawks lead to 2-1.
Chris Ashby walks (he's replaced by pinch runner Andrew Beattie).
Eric Reed singles to right, scoring Carroll to tie the game 2-2.
After an intentional walk to Robert Andino, Josh Labandeira hits a flyball to left to score Beattie for the win.
Isotopes manager Dean Treanor said: "When Seabol's ball got in there, I thought we could get something going in that last inning, which, you know, we have a tendency to do."
RELATED STORIES
More Isotopes
- Roster moves bring young faces to 'Topes
- PCL: Andino, others focus on playing in the big leagues
- Borchard paces Isotopes to 10-0 win
MOST RECENT TRIB STORIES
-
ABQTrib.com to remain available
08:48 a.m., February 25, 2008 -
Congressman is indicted
08:37 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Series of attacks target Green Zone
08:36 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Iran is defying U.N., agency says
08:35 a.m., February 23, 2008 -
Waterboarding approval probed
08:34 a.m., February 23, 2008
TRIB IN THE BLOGOSPHERE*
- Ty Murray Invitational thrills fans in Albuquerque
- Is Rome Burning?
- Ominous Skies
- The Road to Invalidation
- Albuquerque company participates in “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”
*Note: The Tribune does not create and is not responsible for the blogosphere's headlines and stories. These links to blogs talking about ABQTrib.com are automatically generated. Use them at your own risk.
STORY TOOLS
SHARE THIS STORY [?]
Freakish.
That's how Josh Labandeira describes the Albuquerque Isotopes.
With more than 20 percent of Albuquerque's wins coming in its last at-bat, Labandeira's assessment fits.
The infielder capped yet another Isotopes' rally, providing the game-winning RBI with a sacrifice fly in a 3-2 victory in Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader with Oklahoma.
The Isotopes split with the RedHawks, dropping the opener 11-1.
Albuquerque's latest comeback gave the fans a much needed adrenaline bump -- seven scoreless innings by the home team can cause yawning. Lost in the rousing rally, but perhaps more important for the rest of the homestand, the split came with a complementary shot of reassurance to manager Dean Treanor.
His bullpen shouldn't face any freakish tasks Í at least for a few more days.
Treanor had been "concerned" about what the doubleheader would do to his bullpen. For most of the season, Isotopes starters haven't lasted as long as Treanor has hoped, taxing the relievers. Injuries compounded the issue: Four Albuquerque pitchers are on the disabled list.
"That's why I stayed with (Jeff) Fulchino," said Treanor, referring to the Game 1 starter who remained on the mound despite allowing eight runs in the second inning. "We had to do that. You don't give up your second game and blowout your bullpen in the first game."
Fulchino took one for the team -- his ERA ballooned nearly a full run after Wednesday's meltdown to 6.31 -- but the bullpen appears to be safe.
A quartet of Albuquerque relievers pitched Wednesday (Matt Yourkin and Chris Young in Game 1 and Roy Corcoran and Nate Field in Game 2) but only Yourkin will be unavailable tonight in the series finale.
It was a calculated risk. Yourkin, a lefty, won't be recovered until Friday. That's when the Isotopes open a four-game series with Round Rock, a team with more left-handed weapons.
"It's a matter of survival," Treanor said, "survival of your bullpen."
Coming starters: Isotopes pitcher Ricardo Rodriguez will start Friday's series opener against Round Rock, looking for his first win since April 28.
Rodriguez began the season in the starting rotation, then was moved to the bullpen before suffering a minor knee injury. His lone win came at Round Rock.
Saturday's starter, Daniel Barone, will make is Triple-A debut at Isotopes Park.
The right-hander is 1-3 with a 3.86 ERA for Double-A Carolina this season.
