Dodgers Brass Sees Albuquerque Win Its Home Opener

Sometimes nervous energy is a good thing.

The Albuquerque Isotopes admittedly were feeling a bit nervous coming into Friday night’s home opener against Omaha. Call it a combination of things.

First, a home crowd of 10,059 was on hand at Isotopes Park – the second-largest crowd for a Pacific Coast League home opener this season to Round Rock’s 10,569.

Second, Los Angeles Dodgers assistant GM De Jon Watson and Hall of Fame former manager Tommy Lasorda were in the house.

Third, the ‘Topes were coming off a disappointing 2-6 road trip.

“Yeah, those things will put a little extra hop in your step,” Albuquerque manager Lorenzo Bundy said.

The extra hop proved helpful as Albuquerque pulled out a 7-4 victory over Omaha and sent both the fans and the Dodger bigwigs home happy.

“I guess Tommy doesn’t have to fire me,” Bundy quipped, “at least today.”

It was a good all-around performance for a team that needed one. Albuquerque got timely hitting and good enough pitching to stop a Storm Chasers bunch that knocked it around last week in Omaha.

‘Topes starter Fernando Nieve was a key to the turnaround. He was ambushed for nine runs in just 1â…” innings in his first outing, but allowed just three earned runs in six solid innings Friday. Nieve allowed seven hits, struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter.

“I was a little disappointed in myself last time,” Nieve said. “I got the ball up in the strike zone and didn’t give us a chance to win. I really tried to get better and keep the ball down this time. I made my pitches.”

Relievers Will Savage and Josh Wall finished the job, allowing just one hit over the final three innings.

Happy as he was about the pitching, Bundy was even more pleased with his team’s hitting in its first home game. Albuquerque’s 11-hit attack included homers by Josh Fields and Jerry Sands, and a 3-for-4 performance by shortstop Luis Cruz.

“I’m kind of excited about the hits we got,” Bundy said, “because this place can make you kind of pull-happy. Both our homers were to dead center field, Cruz tripled to center and doubled to the opposite field, and our situational hitting was better than it’s been.”

Cruz, who started the season 0-for-16, was delighted to see some hits fall in his home debut.

“I came in today kind of worried about my hitting,” he said. “When you start 0-for-16, it seems like even when you hit it hard, it’s at somebody. But today felt good. I feel like I’m back.”

Despite two homers and Cruz’s triple, the ‘Topes found themselves in a 4-4 tie after Cody Clark’s second RBI double of the night and an RBI ground-out by former Isotope Tony Abreu scored two Omaha runs in the fifth. Albuquerque regained the lead for good in the sixth, when Tim Federowicz, Fields and Joe Becker all singled. Becker’s hit was his first of the season and scored two runs.

“It definitely felt good to contribute,” Becker said.

The ‘Topes admitted it also felt good to score a little payback against the Storm Chasers.

“It was a really tough road trip,” Cruz said. “Bouncing back like this on our Opening Day feels great. Hopefully, this will get us started.”

NOTE: Bundy’s wife, Lupita, took in her first game at Isotopes Park on Friday. She has rarely attended Bundy’s games since he began managing in the PCL.

“She never saw one inning of one game in my two years in Las Vegas,” Bundy said. “She always supports me and is right behind me, just not physically.”

Bundy shrugged when asked whether Friday’s win would encourage his wife to come more often.

“I don’t know, but I saw a smile on her face tonight. I may have to give her a game ball.”