Isotopes Rally Back for 9-4 Win in Salt Lake

The Isotopes scored seven runs in the final three innings to rally back and defeat the Salt Lake Bees 9-4 on Monday night at Smith's Ballpark. The Isotopes victory, coupled with a loss from the El Paso Chihuahuas, moves Albuquerque to 4.5 games out of first place in the Pacific Southern Division.

The Bees held a 3-0 lead through five innings after scoring one run in the third and two in fourth. The Isotopes got on the scoreboard for the first time in the fifth inning on Raimel Tapia's third hit of the night, an RBI single to right field.

Mike Tauchman cut Salt Lake's lead to 3-2 in the sixth inning with an RBI double to left. Tauchman finished the game with three hits to extend his career-high hitting streak to 17 games.

The Bees got a run back in the bottom of the sixth, but Dustin Garneau knotted the score at 4-4 in the seventh inning with a two-run single that dropped into right field. Salt Lake had a chance to regain the lead in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded and no outs, but reliever Patrick McCoy came in and retired all three batters he faced to keep the game tied.

The Isotopes took their first lead of the night in the eighth inning on Tapia's sacrifice fly to right. Albuquerque added another run in the frame when Chris Nelson scored on a wild pitch to go up 6-4.

Nelson gave the Isotopes some insurance runs in the ninth inning when he swatted a three-run home run over the left field wall. The home run was Nelson's third of the season.

McCoy earned his third win of the year, while Simon Castro finished the game with two scoreless innings on the mound to pick up his team-leading ninth save.

The Isotopes and Bees continue their series tomorrow evening from Smith's Ballpark when left-hander Harrison Musgrave (8-6, 4.15) gets the nod for Albuquerque. Salt Lake will send former National League Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum (0-3, 4.31) to the hill. First pitch is slated for 7:05 p.m.