Although Denver, Colorado, is known as the Mile High City, Albuquerque, New Mexico, is the highest U.S. urban area at 5,312 feet.
Iconically, the Colorado Rockies’ Triple-A affiliate is the Albuquerque Isotopes. RGCU Field at Isotopes Park is a pitcher’s nightmare and a hitter’s paradise, much like Coors Field in Denver.
With a commanding 21-hit, five-home run performance in a 13-6 victory Thursday night, the Round Rock Express defeated the Isotopes for the fourth time in a row and sealed the series.
Jake Burger has undoubtedly recovered to his major league level since returning from Arlington to undergo readjustment following a July injury to his left quad. Burger is nearing the end of his Round Rock rehab stay after going 4-6 at the plate, driving in four RBI, and hitting a two-run go-ahead home run.
In the top of the fifth inning, Connor Van Scoyoc replaced Gabriel Hughes, the Rockies’ highly coveted pitching prospect, and the Express bats began to pick up speed. Van Scoyoc gave up Round Rock’s first lead with Burger’s home run just two pitches into his appearance, putting them ahead 4-2.
Albuquerque tied the score 4–4 going into the sixth inning thanks to a deep sac fly by Keston Hiura and a solo home run by Sterling Thompson.
Van Scoyoc struggled to gain control of the mound during his second inning of play, which caused the scoreboard deficit to increase in the top of the sixth inning.
With everything going for them, Round Rock had its best frame of the evening with two home runs from Cody Freeman and former Isotope Alan Trejo. By the end of the sixth inning, the Express were up 9-5 thanks to five runs and six consecutive base hits.
Trejo, who knows the park the best, had perhaps the second-best day in the yard. Trejo opened the lengthy sixth inning for Van Scoyoc with the game’s fourth home run against his old squad. In the top of the ninth, Trejo extended Round Rock’s advantage with his second home run of the game.
Burger scored the Express’s last runs of the evening with a two-RBI double after a clean line drive down the right field line.
The Isotopes scored two more solo home runs in the sixth and ninth innings, the final one coming from former Express infielder Blaine Crim, who was claimed by the Rockies organization last week, despite a significant deficit in the second part of the game. Crim hit his first home run while wearing an Isotopes uniform, his 19th of the season.
The Express’s biggest surprise this series has undoubtedly been Abimelec Ortiz. Since receiving his first Triple-A callup this week, Ortiz has been the Express’s most potent hitter. Ortiz smacked his fourth Triple-A home run and put the first two on the board for the Express, continuing to build on his incredible multi-home run, eight RBI debut.
