Reno Nearly Leads Entire Way Until Late Bees Homer in Eighth

RENO, Nev. – For nearly the entire game the Reno Aces held the lead over the Salt Lake Bees, leading 6-1 at the end of the third, but a late eighth-inning homer by Salt Lake handed Reno a 9-7 loss on Wednesday.

The Aces (29-36) scored three times in each the second and third innings to counter the first run of the contest by the Aviators (33-31), who plated their first run in the top of the second. Reno’s first three runs scored in an inning in which they had a pair of knocks, but neither drove in a run as they scored on a ground out, a fielding error, and a Jordan Lawlar sacrifice fly.

Reno’s second trio of runs came in much more exciting fashion, as a pair of singles put two on in front of Christian Cerda who has been mashing extra-base hits. Tonight was no different, as Cerda unloaded on a 1-2 offering and blasted it out to right center for a three-run homer. That was Cerda’s seven extra-base knock in his past nine hits, two of which have been home runs.

Salt Lake countered with three runs in the courtesy two RBI singles and an error, but the Aces maintained their lead with a single tally in the bottom the fifth on yet another throwing error from the Bees.

However, Salt Lake kept pushing and scored the game’s final five runs, once in each the sixth and seventh before finally taking the lead with a three-run homer from Bryce Teodosio in the top of the eighth.

This contest was not the cleanest of games, as the two teams combined to make eight errors in the game. That is tied for the most in a Pacific Coast League contest so far this season, while the five errors committed by the Bees matches a franchise record for errors by a Reno opponent in a single game, the fifth time in franchise history an opponent has committed five miscues.

Of the 10 hits in the contest, seven came from a trio of bats in the No. 5-7 spots in the order in Jose Fernandez, Amaya and Ortiz. Amaya boasted three hits in four trips while scoring three times, but Fernandez and Ortiz were not far behind with two hits and two runs scored. In addition to Ortiz’s three RBI, both Gavin Logan and Lawlar each picked up one of their own.

All five Reno pitchers in the contest allowed at least one run, though Antonio Menendez was charged the loss for allowing the two runners on base prior to the home run in the top of the eighth.

Now level in the series, both teams will look to gain an edge when they meet for game three at Greater Nevada Field beginning at 6:35 p.m. PT on Thursday.