Las Vegas avoids the sweep despite homers by J.D. Davis and A.J. Reed

The Las Vegas 51s (61-61) inched past the Fresno Grizzlies (70-52) 9-6 Wednesday night from Chukchansi Park. A combined five blasts were hit by the squads with three coming in the eighth inning. With the win, the 51s avoided the brooms and finished the season 6-10 versus the Grizzlies. On the other side, with a Reno loss to Sacramento, the magic number dropped to 10 for Fresno to clinch the division. Reliever Eric Hanhold (1-1) enjoyed the victory after two scoreless innings of relief while Grizzly righty Riley Ferrell (0-1) suffered the defeat after a rough frame.
Fresno lunged out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. A fielder's choice and error brought home Myles Straw and Garrett Stubbs, who both reached via walk. Then, J.D. Davis (2-for-4) crushed a two-run shot to center field. It was Davis' second homer in as many days, his third in four games and 11^th on the year.
Patrick Kivlehan (3-for-4, six RBI) trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the top of the second after powering a pitch to dead center. The three-run blast was his 11^th of the season. Zach Borenstein (1-for-2) knotted the contest at four in the visitor's half of the sixth with a rocket double to right, plating Dominic Smith.
Grizzlies starter Rogelio Armenteros (no-decision) hurled five and two-thirds innings. He was charged with four runs (earned), on six hits, two free passes and seven strikeouts. The squad is 24-6 in games pitched by Armenteros (23-6 in starts) dating back to his Triple-A debut on July 3, 2017.
51s righty Cody Martin also didn't factor in the decision after five frames of work. He scattered three hits and four runs (earned) while walking four and fanning four.
Peter Alonso provided Las Vegas a 5-4 advantage in the top of the eighth after spanking a pitch to left field. The solo big fly was his 15^th at Triple-A and 30^th of the year. He tallied two RBI on the evening, lengthening his RBI total to 107 in 2018, which is split between two levels. That is the best in all of professional baseball.
Kivlehan extended the lead to 8-4 also in the eighth when he smoked another three-run wallop to the grassy berm in left-center field. It was his second longball of the night and 12^th of the season.
AJ Reed cut the deficit to 8-5 in the bottom of the eighth when he pounded a solo round-tripper to right field. It was his 25^th homer of the year. He tallied two RBI on the night, expanding his 2018 total to 98. That leads all of Triple-A by 13. Reed is on pace to drive in 112 runs, which would break the Grizzlies single-season record of 108 set by Scott McClain in 2008.
Alonso made it 9-5 in the top of the ninth with a sacrifice fly to deep center. Trailing by four in the bottom of the ninth, Jack Mayfield (2-for-5) knocked in the sixth Grizzly run with a single to center. The 9-6 lead would be enough for Kyle Regnault to throw one pitch and receive his second save of 2018.
Up next for Fresno is a four-game trip to Tacoma, Washington. The opener is Thursday evening from Cheney Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 PT. Rainiers lefty Roenis Elías (2-4, 4.68) tangles with Grizzlies RHP Brady Rodgers (1-3, 6.94).