Isotopes Edged By Redbirds 5-3 In Series-Opener

NEED TO KNOW: Both teams battled back-and-forth Tuesday night in the series-opener of a four-game set at Isotopes Park, but the Albuquerque Isotopes (56-68) were eventually edged 5-3 by the Memphis Redbirds (66-58) after a ninth-inning two-run home run.

BACK-AND-FORTH GAME: The Isotopes jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead after Mike Baxter led off the game with a home run, and Joc Pederson later scored on a sacrifice fly to cap the two-run first. The Redbirds put one on the board in the fourth after a leadoff double, and Stephen Piscotty hit a two-run homer in the sixth to give Memphis a 3-2 lead. Pederson answered the Redbirds in the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run, his 27th of the season, to tie the game back at three. Memphis claimed the final blow with a two-run blast in the top of the ninth to secure the 5-3 victory.

30-30 VISION: Joc Pederson turned in a 2-for-3 performance with two runs scored, a home run, an RBI and a walk. Pederson now has 27 homers on the season and three in his last five games. The 22-year-old prospect is just three home runs and four stolen bases shy of becoming the first member of the Pacific Coast League's "30-30 Club" since Frank Demaree did it in 1934. There are 19 games remaining in the regular season.

DELIVERY BY FEDEX: Tim Federowicz delivered yet another multi-hit performance Tuesday night, going 2-for-4. He has at least two hits in eight of his last 10 starts and 25 multi-hit games overall this season. In 22 games since the All-Star Break, Federowicz is batting .348 (31-for-89) with 17 runs scored, nine doubles, six homers and 15 RBI.

LET'S GET IT STARTED: Mike Baxter led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run for the Isotopes. It the second time this season an Albuquerque player led off the game with a homer after Trayvon Robinson hit a leadoff blast on July 5 in the first game of a double header against Las Vegas. It was Baxter's sixth long ball of the season.

ON DECK: The Isotopes and Redbirds will play game two of their four-game series Wednesday night at 6:35 p.m. Right-hander Barry Enright (0-2, 8.04 ERA) will take the hill for Albuquerque, while Memphis is scheduled to go with left-hander Marco Gonzalez (2-1, 3.45 ERA).

IN THE HOLE: After their four-game set against the Redbirds, the Isotopes will welcome the Nashville Sounds to Isotopes Park for a four-game series beginning Saturday at 7:05 p.m.