Savage's Solid Six Gives 'Topes 2-1 Win

Starter Will Savage battled through 6.0 innings, allowing one run as the Albuquerque Isotopes (35-28) hung on for a 2-1 win over the Memphis Redbirds (22-40) on Saturday night at Isotopes Park. The win, coupled with an Oklahoma City loss, moves Albuquerque two and a half games back in the PCL American Southern Division.

Savage (8-3) broke a three-game losing streak, allowing only a single run off a solo shot from former 'Tope Eugenio Velez. The right-hander scattered eight hits during his outing, only two of which were for extra bases, while walking four and fanning two to claim his eighth win, good for sole possession of second in the PCL in wins.

Albuquerque drew first blood for the sixth game in a row, beginning with Jeff Baisley belting a double to lead off the second. Three batters later, Brian Cavazos-Galvez poked a two-out RBI single to shallow left, plating Baisley and giving the 'Topes a 1-0 advantage. With his pair of hits tonight, Cavazos-Galvez has hit in seven consecutive games, racking up 11 total knocks during that span.

Memphis then found a run of its own in the third when Velez, facing a full count, lifted a solo dinger to right field to tie the contest 1-1. Velez finished the night 3-for-4 and a triple short of hitting for the cycle. On the series, he has taken advantage of his former team by blasting two homers, two doubles and collecting five RBI in the three games.

With the score knotted at 1-1 in the sixth, Trent Oeltjen and Jerry Sands slapped back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with no outs. After an epic 13-pitch at-bat, Baisley hit a slow roller to short and beat out the relay as Oeltjen scored to give the 'Topes a 2-1 lead.

Redbirds starter John Gast (2-1) was nearly as impressive as Savage, allowing only two runs in 6.0 frames while striking out seven of the first nine Isotopes batters he faced.

Albuquerque then looked to its bullpen to hold the one-run lead, as Derrick Loop and Scott Rice authored a scoreless seventh and eighth respectively, before closer Josh Wall (13) slammed the door on Memphis in the ninth for a 2-1 'Topes victory.

The 'Topes look to capture a series win against Memphis tomorrow night. Isotopes right-hander Stephen Fife (5-4, 4.85) will face Redbirds righty Brian Broderick (2-7, 6.50) with first pitch slated for 6:05 PM from Isotopes Park.

The Isotopes seven-game homestand rolls on with a skateboard deck giveaway on Sunday followed by 50-Cent hot dogs on Monday and Baseball Card Giveaway on Wednesday.

Tickets for any Isotopes game may be purchased at the Isotopes Park Box Office, at Ticketmaster outlets, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, or on-line at www.abqisotopes.com or www.ticketmaster.com.