Matt McBride & the Isotopes Return Home, Blow out Storm Chasers

Matt McBride and the Isotopes bash their way to victory in their first game back to the Lab Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
The Isotopes were delayed in Dallas as they tried to return for a long road trip that wrapped up in New Orleans. The hard rains in Texas caused commercial flights out of Dallas to be cancelled. This isn’t the Major Leagues. No charter flights in AAA.  The Topes finally returned back to the Lab after the 8 game road trip where they went  3-5 and had to play to rain induced double headers.

The Topes finally got back to Albuquerque a little later than planned and hit the field a little before 5 to warm up for the 7 p.m. game. There was no outdoor batting practice today.  The Isotopes didn’t need it as the bash out 12 runs on their way to a 12-3 victory over the Omaha Storm Chasers (Royals) at the Lab

The  Topes seemed unaffected by the late arrival as they scored in the 1st taking an early 1-0 lead in the battle of the Yohans.  Yohan Flande of the Isotopes would settle in in his first start since his demotion, not allowing a run until the third, a run that would tie it at one.  Yohan Pino of the Storm Chaser would settle to get through the second before giving up hits to 9 straight batters, allowing five runs in the third. He would pitch an excellent fourth and get some help in the fifth as the Topes would allow 2 runs making it 6-3.

Pino would come out in the fifth and give up a 380 foot double up the center field hill to Roger Bernadina that would score Angelys Nina and Tim Smalling. It would end Pino’s night. The Topes would continue their onslaught in the 6th as hot hitting Matt McBride would single off Storm Chasers pitcher, Chris Dwyer, scoring catcher Ryan Casteel and moving Kyle Parker to 3rd. Tim Wheeler would add another run when his sacrifice fly scored Kyle Parker.

Louis Coleman would come in but the results looked very familiar as Ryan Casteel belted a two run home run off the fence nearly 450 feet from home plate.

The offense had been pretty dormant in the road trip but came alive in a big way tonight. Ryan Casteel would go 3-5 with 4 RBIs, Kyle Parker continues to bash the ball with another 3-5 performance. Matt McBride settled for a 3-4 night with 3 RBIs and a walk. The biggest surprise of the night may have been RogerBernadina’s 3-4, 2 RBI performance that has raised his average to .298. Look out Rockies Outfielders! Bernadina is coming.

The offensive outburst resulted in more runs (12) than the last six games combined (11).

“We had some good swings,” Manager Glenallen Hill said, “It’s good to see the boys having some fun.”

Hill told us that he had a meeting before the  final game in New Orleans. This is the 2nd one of these meetings he has conducted. The last one was after the 3rd game of the season and resulted in winning 6 of 7 in the next week. This one has resulted in a 2-0 run so far.

“I don’t go into the clubhouse much, I try to stay out of there.” Hill told us, “But sometimes I need to get  them to trust each other again.”

The Topes will look to have more fun and score more runs tomorrow night for Youth Jersey Night against these same division leading Storm Chasers at 7:05 p.m. on MILB.TV. Boone Whiting will get his first start for the Isotopes tomorrow against  Brandon Finnegan for the Storm Chasers.