Fernandez Drives in Four but Late Tallies Hand Aces Loss

SOUTH JORDAN, Utah – Twice the Reno Aces took a one-run lead, and twice it did not hold as the Salt Lake Bees used two final runs in the eighth to hand Reno a 9-8 defeat on Friday.

The Bees (8-11/47-46) used a pair of two-run frames to take an initial lead, scoring twice in both the second and third frames. In the top of the fourth was the first Aces (11-8/43-51) response, plating one when Angel Ortiz worked the third walk of the inning to bring home a run for an RBI.

Reno took their first lead in the away half of the fifth, working station to station following a leadoff fielding error. The last two of three consecutive singles from Pavin Smith and Jose Fernandez brought home a run each, while a Manuel Pena sacrifice fly brought the game level.

Digging in with a man on second and a full count, Gavin Conticello ripped a double out to right field that scored Fernandez to finally give Reno the lead.

Three straight Salt Lake hits started the bottom of the fifth, the last of which was a two-run homer that instantly stole the lead back from Reno.

Not to be outdone, the Aces launched a go-ahead blast of their own during the top of the sixth. This was a two-out blast courtesy of Fernandez, who hammered a 2-2 slider from Shaun Anderson deep over the wall in left center following a two-out walk and passed ball.

Unfortunately for the Aces, there was one last lead change left as a Logan Porter ground ball through the left side scored a pair of runs and helped the Bees steal a 9-8 victory.

Charged with the loss was Spencer Giesting, who surrendered the two runs in the eighth on a pair of hits with two walks and strikeouts each.

Seven of nine Aces had a hit, all of whom were led by the pair of hits for Fernandez. His 2-for-5 effort also saw him score twice while driving in four total runs, three of which came from his homer. Four others drove in a run, two of which were Pena and Conticello who each doubled for their only knock.

The Aces will try to get back on track when they meet for game two of this three-game set on Saturday at 5:35 p.m. PT.