Aces Load Bases in Ninth but Comeback Falls Just Short, 8-7

RENO, Nev. – The Reno Aces had the bases loaded and one out as they looked for one tying run in the bottom of the ninth, but a strikeout and flyout helped the Sugar Land Space Cowboys escape Saturday with an 8-7 win at Greater Nevada Field.

A pair of runs in the bottom of the second were the counter for the Aces (16-16) in response to the game’s first tally by the Space Cowboys (17-15) in the top of the inning. Three consecutive singles led to Reno’s first run, the last of which came from Kristian Robinson as he drove in the lead of that chain, Luken Baker. Though it was not a knock, Christian Cerda picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly.

That brief one-run lead unfortunately could not hold, as Sugar Land plated three runs in each the third and sixth innings to take all momentum.

Baker tried to swing things back in favor of the Aces, crushing his second homer of the season in solo fashion during the bottom of the sixth. That dinger sparked a wave Reno as they then scored once in the seventh on a Tommy Troy RBI groundout, but it was the eighth inning in which the Aces pulled within one.

Trying to respond to the solo homer from Collin Price in the top of the eighth, his second of the game, Reno was able to make things close with three consecutive knocks leading to a trio of runs.

Plating the first run was Robinson, as his single that was held in the shallow outfield allowed Jacob Amaya to score from second base where he resided after a two-out double. Up next was Cerda, and he continued his hitting ways as he launched his second homer of the year to bring home Robinson.

That led to a wild ninth inning in which the Aces put their first two batters on in Ryan Waldschmidt and Troy, the former reaching on a walk while the latter had a bunt single. Both runners then proceeded to steal the base in front of them following a strikeout, but Reno could not drive them in as the game fell to its final resting point of 8-7.

Starter Kohl Drake (1-3) was charged the loss after allowing four runs for a fourth consecutive game, though he did punch out six with only one walk.

Five different Aces ended the night with multiple hits, which included the 2-for-3 effort from Baker including a pair of runs scored and his solo homer. Cerda tallied three RBI and scored twice on the night while finishing a perfect 2-for-2 including his big fly.

Carlos Santana started a rehab assignment with Reno and started at first base, going 0-for-2 with a walk and strikeout before exiting at the start of the seventh inning.

Reno will have one final chance to earn a set victory in the series finale on Sunday, as game six gets underway from Greater Nevada Field at 1:05 p.m. PT.