Nuclear Start Leads Isotopes to Win

Albuquerque, N.M. - The Albuquerque Isotopes scored four runs over the first four innings and kept their offense rolling throughout the night in an 11-5 win over the Oklahoma City Dodgers Thursday night at Isotopes Park.
The Isotopes (25-22) scored six runs over the final two innings Tuesday night and rode the wave of momentum from the comeback win to get off to a fast start Thursday. They jumped in front, 2-0, right away in the bottom of the first inning on a RBI double by Derrik Gibson and a RBI single by Noel Cuevas.
The Dodgers (25-20) quickly cut into the lead when Trayce Thompson led off the second inning with a solo home run out to center field.
But Albuquerque piled up four runs in the bottom of the inning. After a pair of walks started the inning, Rosell Herrera brought home both runners with a one-out single. Shortstop Darnell Sweeney committed a fielding error on the next play, and the Isotopes made the Dodgers pay for the miscue when Mike Tauchman smacked a two-run homer to make it 6-1.
Isotopes pitcher Matt Flemer helped his cause with a two-run, two-out double off the left field fence in the bottom of the third. In the fourth, Albuquerque rallied for another run after having the bases empty with two outs. Cuevas tripled, and Jordan Patterson followed with a RBI single.
Sweeney homered in the fifth inning, sending a solo blast more than halfway up the hill past the center field fence.
Tauchman answered with his second home run of the night in the sixth inning, hitting a solo homer to right-center field. It's the third time in seven games on current the road trip a Dodgers opponent has hit two homers in a game. 
OKC chipped into the eight-run deficit in the seventh. Each of the first three batters collected hits, including a RBI single by Bobby Wilson. With the bases loaded and two outs, a wild pitch by Johendí Jiminian made it 10-4. Kyle Farmer walked to reload the bases, but following a pitching change, Jerry Vasto got Alex Verdugo to fly out and end the inning.
Cuevas capped the Isotopes' big night at the plate with a solo homer in the eighth for his second homer of the series. The three homers as a team marked a season high for the Isotopes and tied the Dodgers' opponent season high. 
Verdugo notched a RBI single in the ninth inning to finish the scoring and extend his current hitting streak to a season-best six games.
The Dodgers offense scored five runs on 11 hits. Thompson tied his season high with three hits, adding a double and a single to go along with his home run. He also drew a walk and reached base all four times he came to the plate. Drew Maggi was the only other Dodger with a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-4.
After winning four straight games, the Dodgers have dropped each of the past two contests, surrendering 20 runs and 28 hits in the process. Albuquerque tallied 15 hits Thursday, with eight going for extra bases. Four Isotopes finished with at least two hits, led by Herrera's four hits. Cuevas fell a double shy of the cycle, and Tauchman recorded his second consecutive three-RBI game.
Flemer (2-3) went six-plus innings and allowed four runs and six hits. He walked one and struck out three in the win.
Dodgers starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens (4-2) had a rough night, allowing a season-high nine runs (seven earned) and a season-high 11 hits over a season-low four innings. He finished with two walks and two strikeouts.
The Dodgers defense also had a tough game, committing a season-high three errors. They've now committed five errors the past two games and six over the first three games of the series. 
The Dodgers will aim for a series split when they finish their four-game set against the Isotopes at 8:05 p.m. Central time Friday at Isotopes Park. Live coverage begins at 7:50 p.m. on AM 1340 "The Game," 1340thegame.com, or through the free iHeartRadio mobile app.