 The Reno Aces (@Aces) lost their fourth consecutive game Saturday night at Chukchansi Park. Reno led the Fresno Grizzlies 7-3 through five-and-a-half innings, but eight unanswered runs by the home team handed the Aces a series-opening defeat.
Backed by a four-run fifth inning and one more run in the top half of the sixth, Aces right-hander Allen Webster failed to retire any of the three batters he faced in the bottom of the sixth.
And that was the beginning of the end for the Aces' collapse.
Three singles by Domingo Santana, Matt Dominguez and Tyler Heineman made it 7-4, forcing Reno skipper Phil Nevin to call on left-hander Dan Runzler. The southpaw didn't fare much better, surrendering two singles to Joe Sclafani and Alex Presley, cutting the Aces' lead to two.
Nevin again dug into his bullpen, calling on Matt Stites (@matt_stites) in a bases-loaded, no-out situation. The right-hander limited the damage by allowing a pair of sacrifice flies, but the four-run frame knotted the game at seven apiece.
Reno (25-31) went quietly over the final three innings, recording just one hit – a two-out single by Blake Lalli (@BlakeLalli) in the eighth.
And Fresno's party was only getting started.
After Stites worked around a one-out free pass in the seventh by inducing a 5-4-3, around-the-horn double play, Aces closer Jake Barrett's (@BJBace99) recent struggles continued in the home half of the eighth.
The Grizzlies (32-23) scored four runs – two earned – off of Barrett (1-3) on three hits, two walks, and a fielding error in center. The last single – a sharp liner hit by L.J. Hoes - and ensuing error by Nick Buss (@chilibuss) allowed two runs to score, with Hoes being thrown out on a close 9-4-2 relay at the plate.
Reno scored two runs in the top of the first against Asher Wojciechowski behind a towering two-run blast by Nick Evans. The Aces' designated hitter finished with 3 RBI, moving him into sole possession of second-most in the Pacific Coast League at 50 runs driven in.
Fresno rallied with one run in the second and another two in the third, both coming on a two-out, two-run double by Domingo Santana. The knock drove home a pair of two-out walks issued by Webster.
The Aces stormed back and regained the lead with four runs in the fifth on four hits and two defensive miscues by the Grizzlies. The big blow in the inning was a two-run double by Jamie Romak, moments after Evans knocked home a run with a single.
Fresno's Jason Stoffel (1-0) was credited with the win after throwing one scoreless inning in relief.
The Aces and Grizzlies will play game two of their four-game series tomorrow afternoon. Right-hander Gabriel Arias (2-1, 5.00) starts for Reno against left-hander Luis Cruz (2-2, 4.34) for Fresno. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. Â
Reno Aces Press ReleaseÂ
6/6/15
