ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES
Topes Notes: Final home series of season will give Isotopes (another) PCL attendance crown
Albuquerque needs just 8,184 fans over its final six home games to lead the Pacific Coast League in total attendance for a fourth straight season.
Christa Zambrano and Robert Perea sport their Mariachi jerseys as they watch the Isotopes take on the Sugar Land Space Cowboys at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque on May 5, 2023.
The final homestand of the season for the Albuquerque Isotopes is here.
And what else would you expect from the team that has led the Pacific Coast League in attendance for three straight years than a banger of a going-out party with one of their most highly-anticipated giveaways of the season 鈥 adult Mariachis jerseys 鈥 coming in Sunday鈥檚 grand finale to the first 3,000 fans.
The Isotopes enter the homestand with 450,881 fans having walked through their gates this season over 68 鈥渙penings鈥 (baseball鈥檚 way of covering the times there鈥檚 a double-header, which the Isotopes had one of and have played 69 home games so far).
That 450,881 number through 68 games played is second to Las Vegas, who has had 459,065 fans through 75 games this season and finishes the season on the road. Should the Isotopes manage 8,184 fans over the next six games 鈥 a safe bet, likely accomplished by Wednesday night鈥檚 game 鈥 they will have led the PCL in total attendance for four straight seasons and in average attendance for five consecutive years (they played fewer games than the total attendance winner in 2022 due to some rained-out games).
The importance of the accomplishment/streak is not lost on first-year General Manager Chrissy Baines.
鈥淭hat is something that we all feel as the staff,鈥 she told the Journal earlier this month in an interview. 鈥淲e want to put the most butts and seats in this ballpark, and we really work together as a team to figure that out.鈥
Considering the team has not had a winning season since 2013, that they continue to prove to fans in Albuquerque their experience is worth going to all season has been pretty remarkable.
As for that winning-record note, there鈥檚 this: The Isotopes are 71-73. If they go 4-2 this season, they鈥檒l have their first non-losing season (and finish at .500 at 75-75) since 2013. If they manage a 5-1 series, that note bumps up to the first winning season since 2013.
Trivia time!
QUESTION: Tip of the hat to the great Joe Traub for this week鈥檚 trivia question. When was the last time the professional baseball teams from Salt Lake and Albuquerque played each other in the final series of a season? And for bonus points, what Hall of Famer hit a home run in that series?
ANSWER: See below...
Know the foe
The Isotopes bring an end to the 2026 season with a six-game Pacific Coast League homestand this week at Rio Grande Credit Union Field hosting the Salt Lake Bees, Tuesday through Sunday.
Isotopes, Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, 71-73 overall (5th), 32-37 2nd half (7th)
Salt Lake Bees, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels, 63-79 overall (8th), 24-44 2nd half (9th)
The countdown
The Isotopes have six games remaining in the 2026 season. They鈥檝e gone 39-36 on the road this season and with six home games left have thus far gone 32-37 at home.
The team must go 4-2 over these final six games to avoid a losing record and finish .500 or better for the first time since 2013.
Three up, three more up
Some things that have been looking good lately for the 'Topes, some not so good.
Looking good:
Pitcher Jake Brooks has posted an ERA of 1.98 (36.2 innings/eight earned runs) over his last six games and thrown at least six innings in five of those games.
The Isotopes finished 39-36 on the road this season, their third winning road record in franchise history, also doing so in 2005 and 2009).
Sunday鈥檚 10-5 Isotopes win at Reno marked the 34th time Albuquerque has scored in double figures in a game this season. They did so just 23 times in 2025.
Look away:
Last Thursday and Friday in Reno, the Isotopes lost 3-2 and 6-5. Those two losses dropped their record in one-run games this season to 14-22 and just 6-13 on the road.
The Isotopes are the only team in the PCL that hasn鈥檛 recorded a shutout at home this season.
Albuquerque鈥檚 33 blown saves are tied for second most in all of Triple-A (PCL and International League, 30 total teams).
Fast food
There鈥檚 a race at the top and a race to stay out of last.
2026 Season Standings (68 races):
22 wins 鈥 Red Chile
22 wins 鈥 Salsa Jar
13 wins 鈥 Green Chile
11 wins 鈥 Taco
Homestand highlights
Here鈥檚 a look at some of the promotions the Isotopes have in store for this final week of the season:
Specialty food item of the homestand: Green chile patty melt (available at the Bullpen Cart by section 109)
Tuesday (first pitch 6:35 p.m.): Dollar hot dogs
Thursday (first pitch 11:05 p.m.): One more time, it鈥檚 day baseball!
Friday (first pitch 6:35 p.m.): Day one of three for Fan Appreciation Weekend 鈥 Prizes being won all weekend; Postgame fireworks; pregame autographs on third base concourse from 5:40 鈥 6 p.m.
Saturday (first pitch 6:35 p.m./gates open early at 5 p.m.): Day two of three for Fan Appreciation weekend 鈥 Prizes being won all weekend; Star War night; Specialty Star Wars jerseys sold exclusively in the Pro Shop; Postgame fireworks; Pregame Isotopes Player Awards Ceremony (approximately 6:15 p.m.)
Sunday (first pitch 1:35 p.m./gates open early at noon): Day three of three for Fan Appreciation weekend 鈥 Prizes being won all weekend; Mariachis de Nuevo M茅xico game; Adult Mariachis Jersey giveaway for first 3,000 fans in attendance.
Trivia answer
In September 1999, the Salt Lake Buzz and Albuquerque Dukes finished their season playing each other in the old Sports Stadium. David Ortiz homered in that series for the Buzz.
Geoff Grammer is the Sports Editor of the Journal and covers UNM Lobos basketball and the Isotopes, among other things. Reach him at ggrammer@abqjournal.com or follow him on Twitter (X) .