ALBUQUERQUE ISOTOPES
Topes Notes: Isotopes chase winning finish in final homestands
With 18 games remaining, Albuquerque can reach its first winning season since 2013 while welcoming Tacoma for a promotion-filled series
Published
It鈥檚 the home stretch of the season, and the Isotopes have two homestands left 鈥� full of promotions (see below for this week鈥檚 batch) and fan-friendly things going on in the stands to try and hold over the diehards through the winter.
But what about on the field? What鈥檚 left to play for?
Here are three key benchmarks within reach for the Isotopes this season that would all be signs of clear improvement, albeit not ones that will be able to reach the ultimate season goals of a PCL crown or postseason play.
WINNING SEASON: The Isotopes enter this week鈥檚 six-game set with Tacoma with a 65-67 record with 18 games left to play.
The team has 12 games left at home and six on the road.
An 11-7 record in the final 18 games would allow the Isotopes to finish above .500 for the first time since 2013. A 10-8 record gets them to .500, which would be their first non-losing season since 2013.
It winning season also be the first for the Isotopes since becoming the Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies in 2015. The Rockies鈥� Triple-A affiliate has not had a winning record since the Colorado Springs Sky Sox went 75-69 in 2012.
ROAD RECORD: The Isotopes are 35-34 on the road. Earning at least a split of next week鈥檚 six-game series at Reno would give them a winning road record for just the third time in franchise history (2005 and 2009) and the first winning road record since being a Rockies affiliate.
ATTENDANCE: The Isotopes lead the Pacific Coast League in attendance with 415,610 fans through 62 home games so far this season for an average of 6,703 fans per game. Both lead the PCL.
The Isotopes have led the PCL in average attendance for five consecutive years and total attendance for four.
Trivia time!
QUESTION: With pitchers not hitting these days in the minors, the pinch hit is not used nearly as much as it once was. The Isotopes haven鈥檛 hit a pinch-hit home run this season. When was the last time they hit one?
ANSWER: See below...
Know the foe
The Isotopes return home this week for a six-game Pacific Coast League series against Tacoma at Rio Grande Credit Union Field.
Isotopes, Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, 65-67 overall (5th), 26-31 2nd half (8th)
Tacoma Rainiers, Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, 62-70 overall (7th), 29-28 2nd half (6th)
Journal Jinx?
Hey, remember that time the Journal posted in this very weekly 鈥淭opes Notes鈥� column in late July about the record-setting pace OF/1B Charlie Condon was on with hitting first-pitch home runs?
Yeah, that was great.
That July 27 online 鈥淭opes Notes鈥� column (in print on July 28) noted Condon had nine first-pitch home runs and was on the type of tear that seemed destined to easily pass the Isotopes franchise record in that stat (11) and challenge the PCL record of 15 (by Omaha鈥檚 3B Craig Brazell in 2007).
Since then, Condon鈥檚 had one first-pitch homer (Aug. 2) and sits at 10 now with 18 games remaining on the schedule. One more puts him in a three-way tie for the Topes鈥� record of 11 with Joc Pederson (2014) and Scott Seabol (2006).
And while the PCL record may not be in play anymore, it鈥檚 worth noting no other active PCL player has more than six this season.
Three up, three down
Some things that have been looking good lately for the 鈥橳opes, some not so good.
Looking good:
OF Sterlin Thompson has drawn 20 walks in his past 14 games and has 69 of them in just 76 games played this season, good for eighth in the PCL. None of the seven players ahead of him for total stats are drawing more walks per game than he is at 0.868 per game.
C Jose Cordova played 10 games in August. He reached safely in all 10.
Albuquerque鈥檚 181 stolen bases are 14 more than any other team in the PCL.
Look away:
After taking a 3-1 series lead vs. Round Rock through four games last week, the Isotopes lost Saturday and Sunday to settle for a series split, 3-3. They鈥檝e not won a six-game series at Dell Diamond since July 8-13, 2021 (5-1).
Sunday, the Topes lost 9-1, marking the fourth time in their past 11 road games that they managed one or fewer runs (there were three shutout losses in that span).
Opponents have outscored Albuquerque 205-167 (38 runs) in the sixth and seventh innings this season. The Isotopes are outscoring opponents by two runs (686-684) in all other innings.
Fast food
How鈥檚 this for drama? There are 12 chile races left in the season and Taco trails by 11. All Taco needs is to win 12 in a row to win this thing.
That鈥檚 all!
2026 Season Standings (62 races):
20 wins 鈥� Salsa Jar
20 wins 鈥� Red Chile
13 wins 鈥� Green Chile
9 wins 鈥� Taco
Homestand highlights
Here鈥檚 a look at some of the promotions the Isotopes have in store for fans this week (games start at 6:35 p.m. unless noted):
Specialty food item of the homestand: Teriyaki chicken bowl available at the Bullpen Cart by section 109.
Wednesday: Women in sports night with celebrations of women in sports throughout the game including specific recognition for UNM Senior Associate Athletic Director and former Lobo hoops star Amy Beggin, LPGA pro and longtime New Mexico golf coach Sandy Lemon, Special Olympian Bella Seibert and Isotopes General Manager Chrissy Baines.
Thursday (12:05 p.m.): Day baseball!
Friday: American Sign Language Night, featuring ASL interpretors throughout the ballpark from the Albuquerque Sign Language Academy, ASLA students performing the National Anthem, player intros in sign, a Silent Inning, postgame fireworks, a special ASL-inspired jersey for the players that will be auctioned and ASL merchandise sold in the team shop.
Saturday (1:35 p.m.): The Lobo/Tops crossover you didn鈥檛 know you needed. To accommodate the UNM Lobo football opener Saturday night, the Isotopes have moved their game up to 1:35 p.m. and are giving way to the first 2,000 fans a special Isotopes/UNM Lobos hat.
Sunday (1:35 p.m.): Bark in the Park day for any and all good doggies with a special Mariachis dog bandana giveaway to the first 3,000 fans. On-field puppy parade starts at 1 p.m. before the game.
Trivia answer
The last Isotopes pinch hit home run was hit by Trevor Boone on July 9, 2024, at Sacramento in the eighth inning 鈥� a solo shot.
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) .
