Jon Gray Started Strong But Jon Singleton Wins Again

1 hour 32 minutes. No, this wasn’t the length of the game. No, it’s not how long some of Jon Singleton‘s homers were in orbit. That was how long we waited in the press box for first pitch because Mother Nature needed a later game apparently. Hey I’m in the press box what do I care. Anyway….

After the 92 minute ran delay, the Isotopes attempted to split the series with the Fresno Grizzlies. Apparently the pitchers got the memo that everyone wanted a quick game as Rockies Top Prospect, Jon Gray and Fresno’s Brady Rodgers mowed through the first two innings, putting up zeros in the first four frames. Then it all went wrong for Jon Gray, and wrong has a name: Jon Singleton.

Robbie Grossman led off the third for the Grizzlies, slapping a single to right. Carlos Correa reached on an error that should have been a double play. This has been a somewhat common way for Correa to reach base in AAA. L.J. Hoes walked, loading the bases. Domingo Santana lined to short but the problem was in place. The bases were loaded for 10 RBI Man, Jon Singleton.

I was right. Man! Sometimes I hate being right. Jon Singleton hits the ball 400 feet to right and all the bases get to come home. Jon Singleton is really good. If he controls his strikeouts, the Astros have a heck of a 1B/DH. I digress….

Matt Dominguez grounds out to make two outs. Matt Duffy homers to straight center and Joe Sciafani flies out to finally end the inning. 5-0 after three and it’s another bad inning for Gray that ruins a start. Typically, it had been the first but for a change of pace, today, it was the third. The Topes would get one back in the bottom of the inning. Gray and Brady Rodgers would blank the next two innings at which point Aaron Laffey would take over for the Topes.

Laffey would make easy work of the fifth but the second inning of relief bites the Topes again. Grossman would lead off an inning again, striking out. Correa would double and Hoes would double to right scoring Correa. Hoes stole third with Santana up and would score on a Santana single. Some how, they got Singleton to fly out. Matt Dominguez would ground out to third, ending the inning and the threat.

LaTroy Hawkins, who is in Albuquerque on a rehab assignment, pitched two-thirds of an inning allowing 1 run on 2 hits and a walk. He faced Singleton with the bases loaded and only allowed one RBI on a fielders choice. Rex Brothers closed out the inning with a strike out to finish the Topes side of the game.

The Topes would threaten in the ninth with a run but it wouldn’t be enough and they fall 8-3. Gray is now 1-4 with a 7.75 ERA. He was unavailable after the game due to the fact it was nearly midnight. Manager Glenallen Hill said, the missed double play in the third seemed to affect him mentally and he didn’t recover until after the Singleton Grand Slam. More from Hill below.

There was good news:

Cristhian Adames turned in three hits in four at-bats, including a double and a walk. Adames now has hits in six straight games and in 16 of his last 18 outings. He has only failed to pick up a hit in five of the 26 games he’s played in this season, and his 11 multi-hit performances is tops on the team. (Isotopes Press Release)

Adames would be the logical replacement for Tulo if his quad fires up and Tulo hits the DL. If Adames was able to go to the Rockies and be successful, it would make the decision to trade Tulo much easier on the Rockies (and on the fans).

Catcher Ryan Casteel extended his hitting streak to eight straight games with a single in the fifth. After finishing the game 1-for-4, the backstop in now batting .567 (17-for-30) with six runs scored, four doubles, a triple, six RBI and a walk. (Isotopes Press Release) His defense is still questionable but he is a solid backup bat. Dustin Garnaeu and Casteel will continue to split time with Garneau being better defensively and solid offensively.

Final notes on the monster that is Jon Singleton: Singleton mashed a grand slam in the third inning. It was his second grand slam in the series and third this week. In the last five games, the 23-year-old California native is 8-for-21 with seven runs scored, five home runs, 22 RBI and three walks. (Isotopes Press Release)

Troy Olsen can be heard, talking Topes, every Friday around 5:35 p.m, on 610 KNML. Listen on tunein, IHeartRadio, or the 610 Website along with many other places. Listen in and let me know what you think!