Tacoma, WA. - The Reno Aces fell to Tacoma Rainiers by a score of 6-2 on Friday night at Cheney Stadium. Ildemaro Vargas led things offensively for the visiting Aces, finishing 2-for-4. Eric Jokisch got the start for Greg Gross on the mound. The left-hander allowed four runs over six
Tacoma, WA. - The Reno Aces fell to Tacoma Rainiers by a score of 6-2 on Friday night at Cheney Stadium. Ildemaro Vargas led things offensively for the visiting Aces, finishing 2-for-4. Eric Jokisch got the start for Greg Gross on the mound. The left-hander allowed four runs over six innings of work and struck out seven Rainiers. The loss brings Jokisch to 7-6 on the season with a 4.51 ERA.
Tacoma got in the scoring column in the very first inning. Taylor Motter launched the second Jokisch fastball of the game over the left field wall for his 5th home run of the year, this one of the solo variety. After a double by Daniel Vogelbach and a walk by Gordon Beckham, Jokisch sat down two in a row to escape the trouble.
The Rainiers would add three more in the bottom half of the third inning. Motter got the third inning started with a full-count walk. Vogelbach followed with his 21st double of the season, plating Motter and giving Tacoma a 3-0 advantage. With Vogelbach on second base, Gordon Beckham hit his 8th home run of the season to give Tacoma a 4-0 advantage.
Both sides would go down quietly in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Rainiers starter Nathan Bannister finished after seven shutout innings while allowing just five hits. After adding two runs in the 8th inning, the Reno offense came to the plate looking to ruin the shutout and mount a six-run comeback.
Oswaldo Arcia led off the inning with a double on a sharp ground ball to right field. Christian Walker moved Arcia to third with a single down the left field line and Borenstein walked to load the bases with no outs. After a Jack Reinheimer strikeout, Sócrates Brito grounded out, but scored Arcia to give Reno their first run of the ballgame. Kristopher Negrón then singled to bring home Walker, narrowing the Tacoma lead to just four with one out remaining. Dan Altavilla replaced reliever Evan Marshal and recorded the final out of the evening.
The loss moves Reno to a record to 68-51 on the season, a half-game ahead of the Fresno Grizzlies for first place in the Pacific Coast League Northern Division. The Aces face Tacoma three more times before heading back to Greater Nevada Field August 15th. Tickets are on-sale now at www.renoaces.com or by calling (775) 334-4700. Follow the club all season long on Twitter (@Aces) or like the team on Facebook.
