PCL: Oklahoma slips past the Isotopes in 13th inning

The New Mexican |

7/7/2008 - 7/8/08

Nine innings were not enough. Neither were 10, 11 and 12.

Oklahoma outlasted Albuquerque 4-3 in 13 innings Monday night in Pacific Coast League baseball in Oklahoma City.

Ryan Roberts, who knotted the score at 3-3 with a solo home run in the bottom of the 12th, stroked a bases-loaded, two-out single in the 13th for the RedHawks.

Oklahoma (50-42) leads the American Southern Division of the PCL. Albuquerque (40-51) trails the RedHawks by 9 1/2 games.

The loss was the ninth in the past 10 games for the last-place Isotopes, who are spending the next three nights at AT&T Bricktown Ballpark before returning home.

The RedHawks and Isotopes were deadlocked 2-2 after nine innings.

Tagg Bozied gave Albuquerque its first lead with a one-out solo home run in the top of the 12th.

Roberts responded with his home run, also coming with one out.

The Isotopes left John Baker stranded on second after his lead-off double in the top of the 13th. Kevin Richardson opened Oklahoma's half of the inning with a single.

Nelson Cruz came on to pinch run and moved to second on Drew Meyer's sacrifice bunt.

After Cruz took third on Randy Williams' wild pitch, the bases were loaded with intentional walks to Jason Ellison and John Mayberry.

Nate Gold lined out to short before Roberts lined his game-winner into left field.

Yukinaga Maeda (3-3) earned the win with two innings of relief. Williams (0-1) took the mound to start the 13th.