Reno Rips Doubles but Falls 6-4 to Comets

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Three runs in the eighth for the Reno Aces brought them within a run after initially trailing 5-1, but the bases were left stranded and the Oklahoma City Comets escaped with a 6-4 win on Wednesday.

It was an early 4-0 hole for the Aces (22-25) after three frames, which included the Comets (26-20) scoring three times in the first. Reno started the response in the fourth thanks to a Matt O’Neill double following a walk to Luis Urías.

Though the Comets tacked on an insurance tally during the sixth, the Aces continued to push and rallied for three runs in the top of the eighth. Consecutive doubles by Anderdson Rojas and LuJames Groover got the action going to start the frame with the latter earning an RBI.

Still standing on second, Groover advanced to third on a wild pitch and then took home in the same fashion on a wild pitch ball four to Luken Baker. Two more wild pitches moved Baker to third in front of a walk to Jacob Amaya, where Baker scored on a fielder’s choice error at second base by Alex Freeland on a ball hit by Urías.

Despite sitting within a run and a walk to O’Neill that loaded the bases, two strikeouts closed the frame. Oklahoma City launched a homer in the bottom half of the frame to push their edge back to two runs, while the Aces were retired in order during the ninth.

Reno starter Tommy Henry was tagged for four runs, three earned, on four hits with three walks and two punchouts in four frames.

Both Rojas and Groover ended their efforts 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored, though the latter also had the RBI. Baker was officially 1-for-2 but scored two runs thanks to a walk, and O’Neill was 1-for-3 with his RBI double and a walk.

The Aces trail 2-0 in the series, and they will look for their first win of the week on Thursday when the two teams meet at 4:35 p.m. PT.