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Topes Notes: SportsCenter, tacos, lowriders and fireworks this week
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The Albuquerque Isotopes find themselves in a familiar spot as the calendar flips to July.
They are at the bottom of the standings, and yet they remain one of the hottest tickets around all of Minor League Baseball.
Oh, and they just happen to by embarking on what might be their most ambitious, promotion-packed homestand of the season with ESPN doing a live SportsCenter broadcast from the stadium, multiple fireworks shows, a first-ever drone show, a lowrider bobblehead giveaway, a free concert and more.
Big crowds are expected all week, but that’s nothing new, even for a team now working on its 11th consecutive losing season (there was no season in 2020).
Albuquerque is tied for last place in the Pacific Coast League and is first in the PCL in average home attendance at 6,478 per game. The franchise has led the PCL in attendance each of the past three years, too, despite twice finishing 10th in the 10-team league and seventh once.
Know the foe
The Isotopes (32-48 overall, tied for ninth in PCL; 1-5 second half, tied for ninth; Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies) open up a six-game homestand on Tuesday night against the El Paso Chihuahuas (43-38 overall, third PCL; 5-1 second half, tied for first; Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres).
Three up, three down
Looking good:
1. The return of highly touted prospect Zac Veen to the Isotopes two weeks ago after being sent to the Colorado Rockies Arizona spring training facility to work on his swing has been positive.
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Including a leadoff home run on the game’s third pitch on Sunday in Las Vegas, Nevada, Veen is 11-for-17 (.647) in his last four games and has an eight-game hitting streak — his longest ever above the Double-A level.
2. Also on Sunday, Yanquiel Fernández hit a 473-foot home run in the sixth inning, the second longest blast of the season for the ‘Topes. The longest was 479 feet by Keston Hiura on May 27 vs. Sugar Land.
3. The last-place Isotopes’ average home attendance of 6,478 this season is first in the PCL. First-place Las Vegas is third (6,357) and third-place El Paso is second (6,427).
Look away:
1. The Isotopes just completed a season-long 12-game, two-week road trip in which they went 2-10 — their worst 12-game stretch of the season.
2. A pair of double-digit streaks ended in Las Vegas last week: Warming Bernabel’s 15-game hitting streak and Owen Miller’s 22-game on-base streak.
3. The Isotopes have drawn a PCL-low 298 walks this season, 23 fewer than the next worst team (league-leading Oklahoma City has drawn 416). The Isotopes have drawn one or no walks in a game 14 times this season, six of those 14 coming in the past 12 games.
Fast food
Chile Pepper Race standings for Isotopes Park (35 races/first half of season):
12 wins — Salsa Jar
11 wins — Taco
8 wins — Green Chile
4 wins — Red Chile
It’s about time
This six-game homestand has four different start times, so make sure you check your ticket.
• Tuesday first pitch: 6:35 p.m.
• Wednesday first pitch: 12:05 p.m.
• Thursday first pitch: 7:05 p.m.
• Friday first pitch: 7:05 p.m.
• Saturday first pitch: 6:35 p.m.
• Sunday first pitch: 6:05 p.m.
Gates open 60 minutes before first pitch for four games this week, but on Friday and Saturday, gates open 90 minutes early.
Homestand highlights
Tuesday: Taco Tuesday! Specialty tacos will be available at concession stands around the ball park.
@albuquerquejournal Isotopes stadium drafts six new menu items for the first week of July. On July 1, fans can try three new taco specials. For Orbit's birthday, celebrated on July 6, the stadium will serve a specialty sandwich and noodle bowl finished off with a sorbet, sugar cookie sandwich. But how do they measure up? Read our review here -> abqjournal.com #isotopesbaseball #isotopes #newmexico #ballparkfood #albuquerque #abq #abqjournal #foryou #fyp #food #foodreview ♬ original sound - ABQ Journal
Wednesday: ESPN’s SportsCenter 50 States in 50 days live broadcast of the 2 p.m. ET/noon MT SportsCenter from the ballpark with anchor Christine Williamson hosting. It’s also a youth summer program day with hundreds of kids who are in summer camps in attendance.
Thursday: Postgame fireworks
Friday: Independence Day Celebration; postgame fireworks; all-you-can-eat buffet; pregame autograph session with players 5:40 to 6 p.m. inside third-base gate.
Saturday: Mariachis de Nuevo México game; Lowrider night; Limited-edition Lowrider Mariachis Jerseys sold exclusively inside the team pro shop after gates open (5:30 p.m.); Online charity auction of signed game-worn Lowrider jerseys; pregame lowrider show on warning track on field and around outside of stadium; first 3,000 fans get a paint-your-own lowrider bobblehead; Nathaniel Krantz pregame concert from 4 to 5:15 p.m. outside main, McKernan Hall entrance facing the Pit; postgame drone show.
Sunday: Orbit’s Birthday Celebration; toy and clothing donation drive with Locker #505; specialty food items offered at concession stands around the ballpark.
More information on all promotions can be found at milb.com/albuquerque.
