Late Power, Groover's First Slam Help Aces Erase Early Deficit

RENO, Nev. – Staring down an 8-3 hole in the middle of the fifth, the Reno Aces got the bats going late with consecutive five-run frames including a grand slam for a second consecutive game, all of which led to a 14-8 Reno victory over the Salt Lake Bees on Wednesday.

Like they have done in the majority of their contests through the early season, the Aces (7-4) plated three in the home half of the second to start the scoring. It was a pair of big knocks to do it, the first a triple from Kristian Robinson as he scored A.J. Vukovich. Just one batter later and Robinson got to score, as Matt O’Neill lifted off with his first homer of the season for the 3-0 lead.

Unfortunately, that lead was short-lived as the Bees (3-8) scored the game’s next eight runs. It started with four in the top of the third on a trio of hits and an error, while they chipped in two each in the fourth and fifth.

Reno started the comeback bid in the home half of the fifth with a single tally courtesy a Ryan Waldschmidt single, pushing across Jack Hurley who had started the frame with a double.

A scoreless sixth gave way to the late offense by Reno, erasing the entire deficit and taking a one-run lead after the seventh. Powering the frame was a triple from Hurley, his second extra-base hit, while Jean Walters succeeded him with a double down the left-field line. Tommy Troy kicked in an RBI while LuJames Groover doubled and brought home the final two.

Leading by one and looking for insurance, the Aces poured on five more in the home half of the eighth, four of which came from one swing of the bat by Groover. Following in Robinson’s footsteps from yesterday, Groover crushed a 2-2 offering out to left field for a grand slam representing the first Triple-A home run of his career.

For the Aces that is already their second grand slam of the season, something they did 11 times in 2025. Additionally, this was the first time that Reno has scored five or more runs in consecutive innings since they also dropped five in back-to-back frames at Las Vegas on Aug. 2, 2025 in the fourth and fifth innings.

Four different Reno Aces closed the night with multiple knocks, led by the 3-for-5 effort from Groover. He also finished the night with six RBI, the most in a game by an Ace this season. The Aces tallied two triples on the night Robinson and Hurley, which matches the franchise record for triples in a game.

Taking the win for Reno was Yilber Díaz (1-0), who worked a scoreless frame with one walk. Gerardo Carrillo (S, 1) picked up a six-out save, allowing only one hit and two walks while striking out four.

Both team will be back in action for game three of the series on Thursday at 6:05 p.m. PT.