Salt Lake Outpaced by Isotopes in Thursday Matinee

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Zac Veen’s fourth career leadoff homer set the tone for Albuquerque as the hosts cruised to a 8-1 victory on Thursday afternoon. George Klassen collected his team-leading third quality start in the defeat.

Albuquerque 8, Salt Lake 1

WP: Gabriel Hughes (2-1)

LP: George Klassen (3-6)

Key Performers

Kyren Paris: 1-4, 2B, 2 K

Omar Martinez: 2-3, HR, RBI, R, BB, K

George Klassen: L, 6.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 3 K

Game Summary

A leadoff homer got Albuquerque on the board first under sunny skies in Thursday’s matinee. Zac Veen provided the big blow in the 12th longball of his campaign.

From there, it was a pitcher’s duel. Isotopes starter Gabriel Hughes sat down the first 12 Bees he faced, while George Klassen zeros after the leadoff bomb.

The hosts doubled their lead in the fourth on a tape-measure moonshot from Charlie Condon that made it 2-0 Albuquerque.

Hughes carried a perfect game into the fifth, before Omar Martinez broke it up with a two-out walk, confirmed on a check-swing challenge. The no-hit bid was erased one batter later, courtesy of Bryce Teodosio’s single to center. Both runners were stranded as a fly out concluded the frame.

Klassen worked around traffic in his next two innings of work, getting help from his defense in the sixth on a 1-6 double play. The fourth-ranked prospect in the Angels system went out for the seventh before exiting with 6.1 innings of work.

Albuquerque used a six-run seventh to pull away powered by a Brenton Doyle’s RBI double, Sterlin Thompson and Charlie Condon’s RBI singles, two runs scoring on two separate fielders choice plays and an RBI groundout by Chad Stevens to cap the rally.

In the ninth, Salt Lake avoided the shutout scare as Omar Martinez launched his second home run of the series to snap the scoreless bid.

Zach Humphreys gave the Bees their first hit with a runner in scoring position on the day with two outs before a game-ending double play made things go final as the Isotopes took the game three win 8-1 on Thursday afternoon.

Game Notes

• Salt Lake avoided the shutout with a ninth inning home run scoring one run on eight hits on Thursday afternoon. It was the second time in the last four games the Bees have been limited to one run with the single run in each of those games coming on solo home runs.

• Salt Lake struck out nine times on Thursday, giving them 20 straight games with at least seven strikeouts. In that span dating back to June 3, Salt Lake has struck out 187 times to lead the Pacific Coast League.

• After Albuquerque retired the first 14 batters in order, Omar Martinez became Salt Lake's first baserunner. By drawing the walk that ended the perfect game bid, he extended his on-base streak to four games. Martinez also pushed his hitting streak to four games later in the contest when he poked a bloop single into the field during the seventh inning. Martinez finished with a two hit night, homering for Salt Lake’s first run of the game in the ninth. It was his eighth home run of the season, seventh on the road and second through three games of the series. His last multi-hit game came on June 2 against Albuquerque at home.

• Following a multi-hit game in last night’s blowout win, Bryce Teodosio broke up the no-hitter in the fifth inning. The knock counted for his 20th in the month of June in his 19th game. It’s the most hits he’s put together in a month since his 24 hit month of July with Salt Lake in 2024.

• Starting pitcher George Klassen went 6.1 innings allowing three runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts. It marked his second longest outing of the season behind his 6.2 innings at Las Vegas. Klassen’s outing marked his team-leading third quality start of the year and team's eighth this season.

• Kyren Paris extended his hitting streak to three games with a ground-rule double, marking the first extra-base hit of the gamegame by a Bees player. This performance follows his crucial three-run blast last night and represents his fifth extra-base hit during his current stint with Salt Lake.

• Salt Lake’s fifth hit of the game came off the bat of Nelson Rada. He has hits in six of his last seven games. It was Rada’s 24th hit in his 18th game in the month of June and his 68th of the season.

• Yolmer Sánchez now has hits in six of his last seven games, singling in today’s matinee. The veteran pushes his on-base streak to seven games with the knock. In that timeframe, Sánchez is 10-for-25 (.400) with three doubles, a homer, three RBI, and two walks.

• The Bees third and final pitcher, Brady Choban allowed no earned runs in his 1.2 innings of work. It’s the first time since June 4 against Albuquerque where he hasn’t allowed an earned run.

Up Next

The Bees look to tie the series up with a Friday night showdown. Game four’s first pitch is slated for 6:35 p.m. MDT from Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park.