Topes Notes: Isotopes near 11th losing season in a row, yet still lead PCL in attendance

The Albuquerque Isotopes will finish the 2025 season with their 11th-consecutive losing season — unless they win at least 23 of their final 24 games.

The Colorado Rockies’ Triple-A affiliate is 52-73 going into Tuesday’s six-game series against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys in Texas.

In nine of the past 11 seasons, the Isotopes finished at least 10 games below .500. In 2016, the team was 71-72 and 2017, the Isotopes finished 68-73.

Despite the losing record, an announced 411,917 fans have walked through the gates at Rio Grande Credit Union Field this season — the highest attendance of any team in the Pacific Coast League and sixth highest Minor League Baseball attendance total in the country.

With a dozen home games left, and both the postseason and a .500 record unlikely, the Isotopes are still in the running for leading the PCL in average and total home attendance for the third consecutive season.

How? Maybe it’s because the team just keeps welcoming everyone.

Last week, two local teenage basketball stars — Brandon Mason Jr. and Bella Hines — threw out the ceremonial first pitch on a Thursday, 96-year-old Jake Griego played the national anthem on his harmonica Saturday and 100-year-old Ted Rush threw out the first pitch on Sunday.

They’ve had American Sign Language Night, Marvel Super Hero Night, six Marachis de Nuevo Mexico games, while lowriders and Little Leaguers have paraded around the warning track pregame.

The team has given away jerseys, bobbleheads, lunch boxes, hats and had more fireworks shows in the state than any team, business, casino or even that guy down the street.

Know the foe

The Albuquerque Isotopes start a six-game PCL series Tuesday at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.

• Isotopes, Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, 52-73 overall, ninth place; 21-30 second half, ninth place.
• Space Cowboys, Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, 60-63 overall, seventh place; 21-27 second half, eighth place.

Four up, Four down

Looking good:

1. Isotopes pitchers struck out 63 Las Vegas Aviators hitters last week, tied for most in a six-game series this season (April 8-13 at Sugar Land).

2. RHP Andrew Quezada, who has started 16 of his 28 appearances in Triple-A, got his first career save on Saturday. It was a four-inning save. The last one of those for the Isotopes was April 11, 2007, by Rich Dorman.

3. The Isotopes turned five double plays in Saturday’s win, the fifth time the team has had that many in a game.

4. The rare four-out inning happened for the second time in Isotopes history last Thursday when RHP Bradley Blalock struck out four hitters in the first inning vs. Las Vegas. He struck out leadoff hitter Nick Martini, but the third strike was a wild pitch that got past the catcher, allowing Martini to reach first base. Martini struck out three other hitters in the frame.

Look away:

1. The Isotopes are 1-6 when holding a 3-2 series lead this season.

2. OF Sam Hilliard was 0-for-4 on Sunday, snapping an eight-game hitting streak in which he was 14-of-35 (.400 average) with four doubles, two triples, three home runs and eight RBIs.

3. The Isotopes were caught stealing three times Saturday, the most in a game since April 14, 2018.

4. That whole four strikeouts in the first inning thing that Blalock had Thursday? It came in a four-run inning that included cleanup hitter Shane McGuire hitting a grand slam for the Aviators.

Fast food

It’s anyone’s race at this point in the chile race standings (through 62 games):

17 wins — Salsa jar

17 wins — Green chile

15 wins — Taco

13 wins — Red Chile

Next home game

Tuesday, Sept. 2 vs. Round Rock at Rio Grande Credit Union Field, starting a six-game home series.