LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Aces bounced back after threes straight losses with a 9-4 victory in game one against the Las Vegas 51s to reclaim a first place spot in the division with Fresno after their loss to El Paso. Ildemaro Vargas, Jack Reinheimer, and Christian Walker highlighted the
LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Aces bounced back after threes straight losses with a 9-4 victory in game one against the Las Vegas 51s to reclaim a first place spot in the division with Fresno after their loss to El Paso. Ildemaro Vargas, Jack Reinheimer, and Christian Walker highlighted the offense while all collected multi-hit games. Vargas had a three-hit night in his first game back since July 23, Reinheimer collected his fourth three-RBI game and Walker knocked three hits, including two doubles, and collected his Minor League Baseball leading 103rd RBI. Aces starter Frank Duncan notched his eighth win of the season after battling through five innings while allowing just three runs on eight hits and striking out four.
The Aces jumped on 51s starter Ricky Knapp in the first inning when recently activated Vargas led off the inning with a single up the middle. Reinheimer followed with his 15th double to bring Vargas around to score. After Oswaldo Arcia flied out for the first out, Walker plated Reno's second run on his double to left field. Two more runs would be brought around on two errors and a single to give the Aces the four-run advantage.
Following the Aces four spot, the 51s kept the pressure on and put up a run in three consecutive innings to get within one. In the first, Matt Reynolds and Dominic Smith plated one run on back-to-back doubles. In the second, three hits manufactured their second run. And, in the third frame, the 51s third run was collected on Jayce Boyd's seventh home run of the season to make it a 4-3 game.
In the sixth, Reno extended to a five-run lead. Sócrates Brito set the tone with a leadoff triple to center field and was brought in one batter later on Kristopher Negrón's second single on the night. John Ryan Murphy and pinch-hitter Rudy Flores both collected base hits to load the bases. With one out, Vargas collected his third hit of the night, a double, which scored only one due to a base running mishap that left Murphy out at home. With two outs, Reinheimer knocked a shallow single that fell between three fielders to plate the final two runs and give Reno the 8-3 advantage.
Las Vegas' fourth and final run was tallied in the bottom of the seventh on Cody Decker's solo home run to mark his fourth of the season. The Aces would add their final run in the ninth inning thanks to Evan Marzilli's RBI single to plate Walker who singled to collect his third hit of the night and bring the final score to 9-4.
Reliever Erik Davis followed Duncan's performance with two innings while allowing three hits and one run in way of home run. Rubby De La Rosa tossed a hitless eighth and ninth inning while recording one walk and two strikeouts.
The win brings the Aces to a record of 66-49 on the season. Reno continues the four-game series with Las Vegas 51s in game two tomorrow scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Cashman Field. Follow the club all season long on Twitter (@Aces) or like the team on Facebook.
