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It was an sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Isotopes special in the big leagues last Friday in Phoenix.

Sterlin Thompson, who played in 158 games for the Isotopes this and last season, was playing in just his fourth Major League Baseball game, hitting in the eight spot in the designated hitter role for the Colorado Rockies.

IF Chad Stevens, who had played 40 games with the Isotopes this season, was in his second game with the Rockies this season, hitting in the nine hole.

And standing down in the third-base coach鈥檚 box was none other than fourth-year Isotopes Manager Pedro Lopez, who has 22 years of minor league coaching experience (his six seasons as a coach or manager with the Isotopes makes him the longest tenured coach in franchise history), who got his own two-game big-league call -up of sorts to pinch-coach for usual third-base coach Andy Gonzalez, who was gone attending his daughter's high school graduation.

So, what was the perfect storm of Isotopes magic in the desert?

With one out in the ninth in a 2-2 tie game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Thompson got his first MLB extra base hit with a double. Following that, Stevens hit a go-ahead RBI single and as Thompson was rounding third, Lopez was there furiously waving for Thompson to head home.

As Rockies broadcaster Drew Goodman proclaimed on the replay, "Here come the Isotopes!"

"(Chad and I) have been doing that the whole year, late in the game, back to back, just getting on base and him driving me in," Thompson was quoted as saying in . "It was great late in the game to find a way to win."

Trivia time!

• Question: The Isotopes rallied from 5-0 down with one out in the ninth inning last Wednesday for a 6-5 win over the Las Vegas Aviators.

  What was the largest ninth-inning deficit ever overcome for a win in Isotopes' franchise history?

• Answer: See below...

Know the foe

The Isotopes return to Rio Grande Credit Union Field this week for a six-game home series, Tuesday through Sunday.

• Isotopes, Triple-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, 28-23 overall, 3rd place PCL

• El Paso Chihuahuas, Triple-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres, 23-28 overall, t-7th place PCL

Three up, three down

Some things that have been looking good lately for the 'Topes, some not so good.

Looking good:

1. Saturday night in Las Vegas, the Isotopes hit six home runs (season high), and extended their season-long home run streak to seven consecutive games. (That streak ended Sunday).

2. OF/1B Charlie Condin has 15 extra base hits this season. That's not why he's in the "Looking Good" section this week. Five of those 15, however, came last week in Las Vegas, maybe a sign the power hitter is heating up.

3. It was just a 3-3 split, but nonetheless there's some reason to celebrate for the Topes after their trip to Sin City. It was the first non-losing series in Las Vegas since Aug. 15-18, 2019. (Seriously!)

Look away:

1. Two weeks and 12 games ago, the Isotopes entered their last home series with a PCL-best plus-40 run differential. Today, they're at minus-3 鈥� the only team above .500 in the league with a negative run differential.

2. The Isotopes struck out 11 times on Sunday, their eighth double-digit strikeout game at the plate in their past three series (18 games) after having just two such games in the 19 previous games.

3. sa国际传媒官网网页入口 lost last Tuesday, 16-8. Aside from that being the team's fifth-consecutive loss at the time, they allowed during one stretch 15 unanswered runs.

Fast food

OK, the chile race that used to be fun to watch is ... well, it's still fun. But sure was a lot more entertaining when it wasn't one character winning last year and pretty much as many times as the three other characters combined.

Go Taco, anyway!

2026 Season Standings (23 races):

• 11 wins 鈥� Salsa Jar

• 5 wins 鈥� Red Chile

• 4 wins 鈥� Green Chile

• 3 wins 鈥� Taco

Homestand highlights

Here's what the Topes are cooking up for this six-game homestand in terms of promotions, food and giveaways (start times vary, scheduled first pitch in parenthesis):

• Specialty food item of homestand: Springfield Special 鈥� Tender slow-roasted beef and creamy mac & cheese layered with melted American cheese between thick-cut, buttery Texas toast, then grilled (available at the Bullpen Cart by section 109).

• Tuesday (6:35 p.m.): Moment of silence for longtime friend of the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 Isotopes and New Mexico music icon Al Hurricane Jr.

• Wednesday (6:35 p.m.): Nacho Average Wednesday 鈥� Specialty nacho offerings include Borracho Nachos (tortilla chips piled high with Bborracho-style pinto beans simmered with beer, sliced hot dogs, fire-roasted green chile and onions, finished with warm nacho cheese and green onion); Bananas Foster Nachos (triangle butter cookies layered with warm caramelized bananas in a rich glaze made with dark rum, butter and brown sugar finished with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and candied walnuts); Irish Nachos (waffle fries stacked with tender corned beef, roasted green chile, and Hatch Chile queso); DJ Cooper Beggs performs pregame

• Thursday (12:05 p.m.): Day baseball!

• Friday (6:35 p.m.): Dinosaur night with Dinosaur stuffed animal (wearing an Isotopes jersey) giveaway for first 1,500 fans 15 and younger; ALS night; pregame autographs on third base concourse from 5:40 p.m. to 6 p.m. with select players; DJ Trizzy G performs pregame

• Saturday (6:35 p.m.): Gates open early at 5 p.m.; Country Night; Pregame Nathaniael Krantz concert on the right field berm (5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m.); Trucker hat giveaway to first 2,000 fans; postgame fireworks; Pregame performance outside McKernan Hall by DJ Nikeboy

• Sunday (1:35 p.m.): Pride day game; Pride flag giveaway to first 1,000 fans and specialty pride items sold in Pro Shop; DJ Victoria Marin performs pregame

Trivia answer

On June 20, 2005, in Memphis, the Isotopes trailed 6-0 in the top of the ninth inning and scored six runs to tie the game and force extra innings, eventually winning 7-6 in the 11th inning, marking the largest ninth-inning deficit overcome in for a win in franchise history.

Reach Geoff Grammer at ggrammer@abqjournal.com or follow him on Twitter (X) .