Aces nearly mount nine-run comeback, dropping to Sacramento, 12-11

RENO, Nev. – The Reno Aces nearly completed a nine-run comeback on Sunday afternoon but fell just short to the Sacramento River Cats, 12-11, at Greater Nevada Field.

The Aces outscored the River Cats, 8-2, through the final four innings, including a three-run ninth frame to pull Reno to within one tally.

Camden Duzenack ripped his first career inside-the-park home run against Sacramento. The Aces’ shortstop became the first player to accomplish the feat since Ildemaro Vargas on Sept. 2, 2018, against Albuquerque. Duzenack also registered his team-high fourth round-tripper.

Cameron Gann continued his scoreless streak with two innings of work against Sacramento, going eight straight appearances and 12.2 frames without a run allowed. The Aces’ reliever also struck out four batters, a season-high mark for Gann.

Ritchie put forth a personal season-high 4-for-4 day at the dish, singling in each at-bat while knocking in two runs.

Sacramento put the Aces in a five-run hole in the first on two RBI singles, an RBI double and a two-run double.

VanMeter cut the River Cats’ lead to 5-1 on a solo shot to right in the bottom of the first. The Aces’ second baseman rocked his second homer this season between Arizona and Reno while also recording his first Triple-A dinger since May 3, 2019, with Cincinnati Reds’ affiliate, the Louisville Bats.

Sacramento put up back-to-back one-run innings in the second and third, scoring on a wild pitch and a solo homer to increase its lead to six, 7-1. In the fourth, the River Cats put a three-spot on the board, 10-1, with back-to-back homers, a two-run shot from Justin Bour and a solo home run by Fabian Pena.

Drew Ellis extended his hitting streak to five with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to slash the Aces’ deficit to seven, 10-3. The dinger also marked his first since Opening Day when he went yard in his first at-bat against Salt Lake on May 6.

Following a scoreless top of the fifth, Reno scored a pair of runs in the home half. Seth Beer roped a pinch-hit, leadoff double to left-center followed by Matt Lipka getting plunked. After Drew Ellis reached base on a swinging strikeout, Jamie Ritchie found a hole up the middle to bring Beer and Lipka around to score and slash the Sacramento lead to five, 10-5.

The Aces continued to battle back in the sixth, tagging the River Cats one run on Duzenack’s inside-the-park home run and cutting the deficit to four, 10-6.

In the bottom of the seventh, Reno tacked on a pair of runs with back-to-back RBI singles by Ramos and Ritchie, inching closer to Sacramento’s lead, 10-8.

Following seven unanswered runs by the Aces, Sacramento scored two of its own in the top of the eighth and bumped its lead back to four, 12-8.

After back-to-back leadoff walks to Drew Ellis and Jamie Ritchie to start the ninth, Bryan Holaday doubled down the right-field line to drive in a pair of runs and slash Sacramento’s lead to two, 12-10. Daulton Varsho brought the Aces to within one, 12-11, on an RBI single up the middle. With a runner on first and two outs, Sacramento held off the late rally and closed out the game.

Reno returns to action on Monday against Sacramento, with the first pitch slated for 6:35 p.m. PT. Josh Green is slated to make the start for the Aces. Monday’s contest can be heard on renoaces.com or KPLY 630 AM locally with Zack Bayrouty on the call.