Eldridge Homers Twice but Isotopes Survive Cats

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Bryce Eldridge homered in the first and eighth innings, driving in three of four runs for the Sacramento River Cats, but the Albuquerque Isotopes continued their winning ways and snagged a 9-4 victory over Sacramento on Saturday.

Just two batters into the game and the River Cats (17-15/53-54) staked an early lead, as Tyler Fitzgerald led off the ballgame with a single to right field and scored all the way from first courtesy of Drew Gilbert. In his first plate appearance as a River Cat, Gilbert lined a triple to left field that got past the diving left fielder and saw Gilbert slide in just ahead of the tag.

Two batters later and Eldridge crushed his first of two homers, a two-run shot with one away that was crushed 426 feet over the wall in left center to score Gilbert and take a 3-0 lead.

Unfortunately for the River Cats that was their last run until Eldridge left the yard again in the eighth, this time a solo blast that once again travelled over the wall in left field on the first pitch he saw to start the frame. That made Eldridge the fourth River Cat this season to post a two-homer game (sixth total instance), and it was his overall fifth multi-homer game of his career.

The Isotopes (14-17/45-60) managed their first run in the second, using their own leadoff homer from Kyle Karros on a 2-0 pitch to start the comeback. Albuquerque drew level with a pair of runs in the fourth, starting with yet another leadoff home run when Keston Hiura launched a 3-1 pitch out to left center. Meanwhile, Sterlin Thompson singled home Karros, who had followed Hiura’s dinger with a double, for the tying run two batters later.

Insurance came for Albuquerque in the home half of the eighth following the second Eldridge blast, plating four runs on four hits that including a two-RBI double for Braiden Ward and an Aaron Schunk RBI single.

In his second Triple-A game of the season and fourth of his career, right-hander Hayden Birdsong was saddled with the loss after he allowed four runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings, striking out four with one walk.

Eldridge’s two hits in four trips were both homers, while Gilbert also logged a two-knock outing while reaching a third time on a walk. Tyler Fitzgerald chipped in a hit in five at-bats and scored a run, while Encarnación doubled for his only knock.

Though Sacramento has officially lost the series, they will look to end on a high note when the two teams meet again on Sunday evening at 5:05 p.m. (PT).