Cats Cut Aces, Win 6-4 On July 4
RENO, Nev. - Sacramento used a four-run top-of-the-first inning-highlighted by a three-run blast from shortstop Andy Parrino-to beat the Reno Aces by a score of 6-4 on Independence Day at Aces Ballpark.
Nick Buss led off the game with a single, followed by a Jake Elmore walk, bringing Parrino to the plate with two on and no outs. The defensive magician deposited a 1-1 pitch over the left-center field wall to give the River Cats an early 3-0 lead on the Aces. Later in the inning, Jose Martinez doubled-home Shane Peterson to push the lead to 4-0 in the first.
Reno plated two in the bottom of the second to cut the lead in half, but the River Cats put the game away with a two-run sixth inning that saw Anthony Aliotti deliver a two-run double, scoring Peterson and Martinez, giving Sacramento a 6-2 advantage. The Aces tried to come back, scoring two in the eighth, but it wasn't enough as the River Cats won 6-4.
Buss-who exited the game in the third-finished 1-for-2 with a run scored. Parrino went 3-for-5 with three RBI and a run scored, while Luis Exposito finished 2-for-4 with a double. Arnold Leon-who came in to bat for himself after Buss was removed-tallied his ninth win after giving up eight hits and two earned runs with two walks and four strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work. Evan Scribner twirled 1.2 scoreless innings for his team-leading 12th save.
The loss was charged to Andrew Chafin, who gave up all six River Cats runs on eight hits and three walks with six strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work. Argenis Diaz paced the Aces offensively, going 3-for-4.
The victory moves Sacramento's July 4 record to 10-1 all time, the best in the Pacific Coast League. The River Cats also moved 3.5 games ahead of the Aces in the PCL Pacific Northern division with the win.
Game two of the series is set for 7:05 p.m. on Saturday night at Aces Ballpark when Reno righty Bo Schultz (6-5, 5.34 ERA) starts opposite a River Cats starter who is to be determined.
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