Four-run fifth inning paces Aces past Sounds

RENO - The Reno Aces (@Aces) used a key four-run fifth inning on their way to a 5-4 win over the Nashville Sounds Monday night at Aces Ballpark.

For the fifth time in the last six games, the Aces plated a run in the first inning to take an early lead. Starter Caleb Clay (@CalebClay) worked around a leadoff single to put up a zero in the first.

Mike Freeman (@MikeBFree5) led off the bottom half of the frame with a walk. He raced to third on a perfectly executed hit-and-run as Phil Gosselin (@PGosselin15) poked a single through the right side. Freeman came in to score when Nick Evans bounced into a 4-6-3 double play.

It didn't take long for Nashville to flip the switch. In the top of the second, a run-scoring base hit by Craig Gentry tied the game at 1-1. With runners at first and second and one out, catcher Bryan Anderson hit a groundball to first fielded by Jamie Romak who turned and threw to second for the force out. Danny Worth's return throw to first was right at the bag and chest high, but the ball sailed in between Romak and Clay allowing a run to score to give the Sounds a 2-1 lead.

The Aces went in order in the third and fourth innings, but rallied in the fifth. Brandon Drury started the inning with a base hit, then moved to second on an infield single by Nick Buss (@chilibuss).

Todd Glaesmann (@toddglaesmann22) came up and drilled the first pitch he saw from Zach Neal into the Aces bullpen for a three-run home run and a 4-2 lead.

Clay worked 5 1/3 innings and was relieved by Matt Stites (@matt_stites) with two on and one out in the sixth. He issued a walk to Rangel Ravelo to load the bases, but came back and struck out Nate Freiman and got Gentry to bounce into a comebacker to end the inning.

The Sounds cut the Aces lead to 5-4 when they scored a pair of runs in the eighth. Brent Morel's RBI single made it 5-3 and Freiman's run-scoring fielder's choice made it a one-run game.

Reno went in order in the eighth, but Kaleb Fleck (@k_fleck) shut down any hopes of a Nashville rally in the ninth. The right-hander worked around a two-out single to post a six-out save to nail down the win.

Clay earned the win, his team-leading eighth of the season. Neal was charged with the loss to drop his record to 7-9. The save for Fleck is his sixth of the season.

Game three of the series is set for Tuesday night at Aces Ballpark. Right-hander A.J. Schugel (2-6, 10.36) starts for Reno against right-hander Cody Martin (2-4, 5.63) for Nashville. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Group outings are on-sale now at www.RenoAces.com or by calling (775) 334-4700. For up-to-date news and notes throughout the season, follow the club on Twitter (@aces) or like the team on Facebook.