Albuquerque Isotopes Game Day Information www.albuquerquebaseball.com 1601 Avenida Cesar Chavez SE Albuquerque, NM 87106 Phone: 505.924.2255 Web: www.abqisotopes.com NEW ORLEANS ZEPHYRS (70-57) AT ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES (72-55) ISOTOPES QUICK FACTS RHP Omar Poveda (4-1, 3.60 ERA) vs. RHP John Ely (13-7, 3.24 ERA) Isotopes Park w Saturday, August 18 w 7:05 P.M. MT ISOTOPES 72-55 Game #: 128 w Home Game #: 65 1st Southern Division ISOTOPES DROP SERIES FINALE TO SKY SOX, 6-3: Jerry Sands extended his hitting streak to a season-high 18 games and Scott American Conference Van Slyke belted his 15th homer of the year, but it wasn’t enough as the Albuquerque Isotopes were sunk by the Colorado Springs Sky Sox 6-3 on Friday night at Security Service Field. After the Sox jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second, Albuquerque didn’t wait long to At Home .....................................42-22 respond, quickly taking a 2-1 lead in the third when Josh Fields poked a two-out single and Alex Castellanos coaxed a walk. Both runners On the Road ...............................30-33 then advanced on a double steal, setting the stage for Sands who promptly smoked a two-run single up the middle. The Sky Sox battled back in the fifth beginning with a leadoff single from Brendan Harris. Charlie Culberson followed with what appeared to be a double-play Day ...............................................10-8 ball to short, but an errant throw by Ivan De Jesus Jr. on the force out allowed Harris to take third and the batter to settle at second. Wilkin Night ..........................................62-47 Castillo then knotted the game 2-2 with a deep sac-fly and Brandon Roberts gave Colorado Springs a 3-2 edge on his pinch-hit RBI double. Last 5 games ..................................2-3 With a runner in scoring position, Tim Wheeler singled to right-center field to send Roberts to third, but as the ball bounced into the outfield Last 10 games ................................6-4 Van Slyke misplayed the hop to allow the runner to dash home and make it 4-2, Sky Sox. After Colorado Springs added an insurance tally Streak ............................................ L-2 in the sixth and seventh to open up a 6-2 lead, Albuquerque flirted with a comeback when Van Slyke crushed a leadoff solo shot to left that vs. LH starters ............................28-15 narrowed the deficit 6-3, but three of the next four Isotopes were retired, ending the rally before any real damage was done and allowing the Sox to ultimately grab a series win. vs. RH starters ............................44-40 April ...........................................14-11 ON THE CUSP OF RECORDS: Right-hander John Ely makes the start looking to possibly shatter two team records with one start. Cur- May ............................................17-13 rently, Ely is 13-7 on the year, tied for Isotopes record in wins in a season with Frankie De La Cruz (who did it in 2008), and Giancarlo June ............................................16-12 Alvarado (who equaled the feat in 2009), meaning one more victory and Ely will hold the ‘Topes record for wins in a season all by himself, July .............................................17-11 while also moving into a tie with Las Vegas’ Sean O’Sullivan for the PCL lead in victories. Ely is also tied with Alvarado in home wins with eight, so a win tonight would give him that record as well. The right-hander has won each of his last five starts, posting a 2.16 ERA (8 August ............................................8-8 ER / 33.1 IP). He’s also won each of his last three appearances at Isotopes Park. September ......................................0-0 IT’S A SHOWDOWN: The victor of the PCL’s American Southern Division could very well be determined in the next four games at PROMOTIONS Isotopes Park, as the first-place ‘Topes host the second-place New Orleans Zephyrs with just 2.0 games separating them. The last time the Z’s visited The Lab, Albuquerque prevailed in a four-game series, dropping the first contest before rattling off three straight wins. Overall, however, the season series has been perfectly even, with both teams winning six games against the other this year, which adds even more import to the set as the TONIGHT, AUGUST 18: VS. first tie-breaker in the PCL is head-to-head record. The Z’s come in as the PCL’s SERIES AT A GLANCE NEW ORLEANS hottest team, posting a league-best 8-2 record in their last 10 games and having FIREWORKS! taken three of four from Sacramento, the PCL’s best team. Of course, the Isotopes ABQ VS. N.O. presented by Diamond Mesa Apt. Homes have Jerry Sands, who has driven in a team-high seven runs in 10 games against BLOOD DRIVE the Z’s this season. BRING HOME THE W Date Site W/L Score presented by Whataburger SENSATIONAL SANDS: John Ely is not the only Isotope to have a shot at a 4/26 Zephyr Field L 4-9 franchise record tonight, as Jerry Sands can equal the team’s hitting streak record 4/27 Zephyr Field L 1-2 with a knock. With his two-run single last night, Sands has now hit in 18 straight OMORROW UGUST VS T , A 19: . games, one shy of the team record set by Eric Reed (2006), and equaled by Jamie 4/28 Zephyr Field W 4-3 (12) NEW ORLEANS Hoffmann (2010), and Elian Herrera (this year). Since the streak began on July 27, 4/29 Zephyr Field W 5-2 GREEN CHILE BOBBLEHEAD NIGHT! Sands is batting an incredible .443 (35x79) with 17 runs, two doubles, a triple, nine 5/29 Zephyr Field L 1-4 w First 3,000 fans homers, and 33 RBI. In the course of just under three weeks, Sands has raised his courtesy of Sandia Resort & Casino average on the season from .260 to .298. 5/30 Zephyr Field W 4-0 5/31 Zephyr Field L 0-3 WELCOME BACK!: Tonight the ‘Topes lineup will be bolstered by the arrival MONDAY, AUGUST 20: VS. 6/1 Zephyr Field L 0-2 of Trent Oeltjen, who is back after spending the last 13 days in the DL with dizzy NEW ORLEANS symptoms. Oeltjen went on the DL on August 7, retroactive to August 5. 6/19 Isotopes Park L 7-9 50-CENT HOT DOG NIGHT! 6/20 Isotopes Park W 6-4 OPENING JITTERS: The Isotopes have dropped each of their last four series- 6/21 Isotopes Park W 7-5 FRIDAY, AUGUST 31: VS. OMAHA opening games, with their last win in the first game of a series coming in Nashville 6/22 Isotopes Park W 8-4 (7) FAN APPRECIATION WEEKEND on July 28. Overall, Albuquerque is 15-17 in the first game of a set this year. LIVE PERFORMANCE BY BIRDZERK! 8/18 Isotopes Park - - THE ‘TOPES ARE IN TOWN!: Tonight, the ‘Topes are back for a quick four- FIREWORKS! 8/19 Isotopes Park - - game homestand rife with playoff implications and awesome promotions. The presented by Mark’s CASA Chevrolet set includes fireworks tonight, a green chile bobblehead giveaway tomorrow, and 8/20 Isotopes Park - - 50-Cent Hot Dog Night on Monday! 8/21 Isotopes Park - - Fact of the Day: UPCOMING PROBABLES While working on Pac Man in April DATE OPP. TIME (MT) ISOTOPES STARTER OPPONENTS STARTER 1979, video game designer Tohru Sun., 8/19 vs. NEW 1:35 PM LHP Derrick Loop (10-3, 4.88) vs. LHP Brad Hand (10-5, 3.50) Iwantani was allegedly inspired by Mon., 8/20 vs. NEW 6:35 PM RHP Fernando Nieve (6-7, 5.87) vs. RHP Elih Villanueva (9-7, 3.62) the shape of a pizza with one slice Tues., 8/21 vs. NEW 6:35 PM RHP Stephen Fife (4.2, 4.74) vs. RHP Tom Koehler (12-9, 3.74) removed. Wed., 8/22 at MEM 6:05 PM RHP Will Savage (10-6, 5.85) vs. RHP Brandon Dickson (5-11, 3.55) TODAY’S ISOTOPES STARTER # 23 JOHN ELY RHP Height: 6-2 Weight: 200 Born: 5/13/86, Harvey, IL Throws: R Bats: R Resides: Homewood, IL Obtained: From Chicago (AL) with RHP Jon Link for OF Juan Pierre, 12/17/09 2012: 13-7, 3.24 ERA vs. LH Batters: .264 (90x341), 9 HR, 21 BB, 85 SO 2012 vs. N.O.: 1-1, 4.50 ERA vs. RH Batters: .225 (48x213), 6 HR, 10 BB, 67 SO TODAY’S START: John Ely makes the start coming off his 13th win of the season, tying him for the franchise record with Frankie De La Cruz (who did it in 2008) and SEASON HIGHS - LOWS Giancarlo Alvarado (2009). On August 13 at Reno, Ely pitched 6.0 innings, allowing just two runs on three hits while walking three and strikin gout six in a 5-3 ‘Topes IP: 8.0 (5/21 vs. FRES) 3.0 (4/9 at IOWA) win. Delivered the first complete-game shutout by a ‘Topes pitcher this season after H: 10 (4/9 at IOWA) 4 (5x- Last: 7/23 vs IOWA) limiting Tucson to just six hits through 7.0 innings while walking one and striking out R: 8 (4/9 at IOWA) 0 (5x- Last: 8/8 vs. TUC) eight in a 4-0 win in the first game of a doubleheader on August 8. The victory also ER: 7 (4/9 at IOWA) 0 (6x- Last: 8/8 vs. TUC) tied him for the most home wins by an Isotopes pitcher in a season with eight, set in BB: 3 (3x- Last: 8/13 at RENO) 0 (5x- Last: 7/28 at NVL) 2009 by Giancarlo Alvarado.