Noah Syndergaard Out Hits and Out Pitches the Topes

Today was not the Topes day. I mean they haven’t had many good days losing 12 of 14, but today was especially bad. Noah Syndergaard was in town.

The Topes starter was unknown  as of Wednesday night but Thursday Morning, it was announce that RHP Shane Carle would join a number of recent pitching call ups to help a depleted Isotopes pitching staff.

Carle is 4-0 with a 4.45 ERA in five starts with New Britain this season. In 30.1 innings pitched, he’s walked just three batters, while striking out 21. He is in his third season of Minor League ball after being drafted in the 10th round of the 2013 first-year player draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was acquired by the Rockies last offseason.

He throws a great first but then allowed six runs in four innings. He would allow 9 hits, a walk and strike out three. He would allow one home run. A 420 foot blast to opposing pitcher Noah Syndergaard.

Syndergaard, who Topes Radio Guy, Josh Suchon, just refers to as Thor, was the story of the game.

He may be the great great great grandson of Thor the way he plays. All I know is, he is just plain great. Syndergard had allowed one hit through 5 innings. In the meanwhile, he had 3 hits of his own, a 415 foot Double, the Homer below and a single. The Topes finally got on the board in the bottom of the 6th when Jose Rivera doubled to left field and was driven in by a Tim Smalling single.

The Topes would add one more:

Paulsen said he worked hard in the offseason on his outfield skills and while he played first today, his ability in the outfield has kept him starting and increasing his chances of a promotion.

Syndergaard would have a chance to then finish the cycle in the top of the 8th but Ryan Arrowood would strike him out.

Arrowood is a reliever to watch for Rockies fans but he has had better days. He made quick work of the 7th inning, allowing a couple of walks but the second inning of work continues to be a dilemma for Isotopes relievers.

51s catcher, Dan Rohlfing, singled to lead off the eighth. Kyle Johnson would double moving Rohlfing to 3rd. Noah Syndergaard would then  strike out. Darrell Celilani would single, scoring Rohlfing. Matt Reynolds would walk and Eric Campbell would be hit by a pitch, scoring Kyle Johnson. Arrowood would get Brandon Allen to ground into a double play ending the inning, but the 51s would now lead 8-2.

Arrowood would end his two innings pitched with two runs on four hits and two walks. He did strikeout one.

Rex Brothers pitched the ninth, striking out one in a 1-2-3 inning.  That was good to see.

Syndergaard ended his day with eight innings of work. He struck out eight and walked none. He allowed just 2 runs on five hits. The most amazing thing of his performance today, outside of being 3-4 at the plate, is he threw just 25 balls in his 95 pitches. Nearly 75% of his pitches were in the strike zone. I don’t care if you are at sea level or the top of Mount Everest, if you are throwing 75% of your pitches for strikes, you are probably having a good day.

Manager Glenallen Hill said, “When a team (51s) is playing loose like this, they are hard to beat. When things are going good you get a few more calls.” This was apparent on several base running calls today.

Shane Carle loses his first game at Triple A and the Isotopes head to Sacramento, today, to start a four game series there before coming back to ABQ to play Fresno. Lets hope it gets better.