Ad
Topes Tuesday Notebook: Sam Hilliard closing in on Duke City home run milestone
Published
Modified
Records are records, even if they tend to hold lesser prestige at the minor league level.
And Sam Hilliard is chasing down another monumental one in Albuquerque — a city where professional baseball has been ingrained in the sports fabric for more than a century.
The 31-year-old outfielder has 78 career Triple-A home runs for the Albuquerque Isotopes. That’s easily the franchise record, one established in far fewer games than the others at the top of the list.
As the Isotopes are set to start a six-game homestand with the El Paso Chihuahuas on Tuesday night, Hilliard sits one homer behind the Duke City’s all-time Triple-A home run record of 79, set by Mike Busch of the Albuquerque Dukes from 1993-96.
No, kids don’t grow up dreaming of setting such records, but it isn’t as though Hilliard has been a lifer in the minors. In fact, Hilliard, who has spent parts of six seasons in the majors with the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves, has played more MLB games (312) than he has at the Triple-A level (294, all but four of them with the Isotopes).
Last April, when he was on the brink of the Isotopes home run record, Hilliard showed nothing but gratitude.
“It’s certainly an honor for me. Having a record of any kind is a really cool accomplishment and I just feel super blessed that I’ve been able to have that type of success here,” Hilliard told the Journal.
Hilliard, who is hitting just .226 with two homers so far this season, has reached base in all nine games he’s played.
ALBUQUERQUE TRIPLE-A HOME RUN RECORD
1. Mike Busch, 79 (407 games — Albuquerque Dukes)
Ad
2. Sam Hilliard, 78 (290 games — Albuquerque Isotopes)
ISOTOPES HOME RUN RECORD
1. Sam Hilliard, 78 (290 games)
2. Jordan Patterson, 66 (366 games)
Know the foe
The Isotopes (6-9, tied for ninth in the 10-team Pacific Coast League, Colorado Rockies affiliate) host El Paso (6-9, tied for ninth, San Diego Padres affiliate) for a six-game series at Rio Grande Credit Union Field, Tuesday through Sunday.
While both teams are tied for last in the PCL, there are four league teams tied at 7-8, so either the Isotopes or Chihuahuas could gain a lot of ground with a good series.
About those bottom teams
There are six PCL teams under .500. The two tied for last place — Albuquerque and El Paso — have run differentials of minus-5 and minus-6, respectively. The four others have run differentials of -20 (Sugar Land), -21 (Tacoma), -22 (Round Rock) and -40! (Salt Lake).
Close captioning
There is now closed captioning available via a website accessible by smartphone for public address announcements at Isotopes Park. The site can be found by scanning a QR code available on the Isotopes Park videoboard prior to the start of each game or by visiting the CNM Guest Services booth on the main concourse behind home plate.
Called up
The Colorado Rockies called up catcher Braxton Fulford from Albuquerque to take Kris Bryant’s place on the roster. Bryant landed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Sunday, with a bad back.
Homestand highlights
Tuesday, 6:35 p.m.
Jackie Robinson Night: Pregame ceremony honoring Judge Angela Jewell with the 2025 Jackie Robinson Making a Difference Award; Players all wearing No. 42 in honor of Robinson
Thursday, 11:05 a.m.
School Day Matinee: students from several elementary and middle schools from around the state will be in attendance.
Friday, 6:35 p.m.
Malmö Oat Milkers game — Malmö — the Swedish company that produces Oatly oat milk — is sponsoring a promotion where every minor league team plays as the Oat Milkers once this season. Seriously. In fact, so serious is the promotion, Oatly, on its special MILB.com page, states the game “might be the most important one of the season, or the least.”
Saturday, 6:35 p.m.
City Roots Night: the first 1,500 fans get Duke City flags; Keith Sanchez and the Moon Thieves Concert in the park before the game (gates open at 5 p.m.); postgame fireworks
Sunday, 1:35 p.m.
Pregame Easter Candy Hunt on the field (12:30 to 1 p.m.)
