ACES REMAIN IN FIRST PLACE DESPITE 7-4 LOSS TO RIVER CATS

The Aces (70-55) fell to the River Cats for the second time in the four-game set after they evened the series last night with a shutout win. Despite the loss, Reno still holds a one game lead over the Fresno Grizzlies in the Pacific North division following their third straight loss to Las Vegas. Oswaldo Arcia and Kristopher Negrón highlighted the offense on the night. Arcia finished with a 2-for-4 performance with the game-tying RBI in the fifth inning while Negrón added his 12th home run of the season.
 
In the second, Negrón put the Aces aboard in the run category first with his home run, a solo shot to left-center field, giving Reno the 1-0 advantage. In the top half of the fourth, the River Cats collected just their second and third hits of the game, the second in way of two-run home run by Sacramento catcher Tim Federowicz to shift the score to 2-1 in favor of the River Cats.

Reno would trail back with one in the home half of the fifth to tie the game thanks to some help from Sacramento's defense. With two outs, Ildemaro Vargas grounded a ball, which popped off and out of the glove third baseman Jae-Gyun Hwang to put the tying run aboard. Angel Franco followed with a soft hit up the middle and Arcia flared a line drive down the right field line to even the game at 2-2.
 
Sacramento quickly got back into action offensively when the River Cats put up three runs on four hits. Slade Heathcott led the inning off with a single while Chris Shaw and Federowicz collected a double each to add on two more runs. Ryan Lollis continued with a fourth single with two outs to bring around their third and final run of the frame to give them a 5-2 lead.
 
Reno tacked on a third run in the bottom half of the sixth after Christian Walker led off the inning with his eighth triple of the season to right-center field. Jack Reinheimer followed with a second consecutive hit, a single through the hole at second base to plate Walker and cut the deficit to 5-3.
 
Sacramento added two more runs in the top half of the ninth. After a leadoff single to start the inning by Conor Gillaspie, Heathcott swung and missed at a 3-2 pitch while Gillaspie went on the pitch and was thrown out to complete a double play. Following a two-out walk surrendered to Hwang, Chris Shaw knocked his 15th home run to extend the lead to 7-3.
 
Reno made one last push with two outs in the ninth after both Evan Marzilli and Vargas collected doubles to bring in a run. However, the momentum didn't stick around as Franco grounded out to end the two hours and thirty-nine-minute contest.
 
Aces starter Ivan Pineyro made his second start for the Aces this season and notched his second loss after tossing six innings while giving up five runs on eight hits with three strikeouts. Reliever Jake Barrett followed with a one-hit seventh inning and a strikeout. David Carpenter tossed the final two frames and allowed two runs on four hits.
 
The loss brings the Aces to a record of 70-55 on the season with 17 regular season games to go. Reno concludes the four-game series with the Sacramento River Cats tomorrow evening scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Greater Nevada Field. On Saturday, August 19, the Aces begin a four-game set against division-rival Fresno Grizzlies. Tickets are on sale now at renoaces.com. Follow the club all season long on Twitter (@Aces) or like the team on Facebook.