RENO, Nev. – Tuesday’s series opener almost saw the most impressive of comebacks as the Reno Aces nearly eliminated at 10-0 deficit thanks to nine straight runs, but Reno’s late push fell just shy as the Round Rock Express added on late for a 14-9 win.
The first third of the contest flew, particularly due to the effort of Aces (7-6/39-49) starter Yu-Min Lin (4-6) as he retired each of the first nine batters that he faced. Meanwhile, the Reno offense put at least one runner on base in each of those three frames, all three times reaching scoring position, but left each of those runners stranded.
Things started to break down in the fourth for the Aces as Lin allowed seven hits to the first nine batters he faced in the frame. Though Jonatan Bernal entered and tried to escape the rest of the damage, the Express (8-5/39-49) piled on eight total runs on eight hits, the third time this season that Reno has allowed eight or more knocks in an inning.
For good measure, Round Rock added two more tallies in the top of the fifth thanks to the fourth homer of the season from Austin Wynns.
Those two runs proved to be crucial as the Aces started their comeback, scoring nine unanswered runs to pull the score close. All the action started with an RBI groundout from Kristian Robinson in the fifth, then the Aces added three more in the sixth thanks to a pair of homers from Tyler Locklear and Angel Ortiz. The first left the bat of Locklear in solo fashion to left field, while Ortiz lifted a two-run blast out to right center.
The comeback was nearly complete in the home half of the seventh when Reno tacked on five to pull the score within one. Each of the first five batters in the frame reached base before the first out was recorded, a sacrifice fly from Manuel Pena. However, three other runs had scored by that point in the inning thanks to a LuJames Groover RBI single while Jose Fernandez doubled home two on a ball to left field.
The final run of the inning came from Aramis Garcia, and he had to chug around the bases to make it happen. On a hard liner to the right-center gap, Garcia turned on the speed and raced around to third for his first triple since he had two during the 2019 season as a member of the Sacramento River Cats.
Unable to knot the game, Round Rock took advantage of the situation by plating four runs in the top of the ninth, two courtesy a single from Gilberto Celestino though he was thrown out trying to advance to second.
Despite the offense’s best efforts, Lin was charged the loss after his final line showed he allowed seven of the eight runs in the fourth on seven hits while striking out one without a walk over 3.2 innings.
Representing a bright spot out of the bullpen was Bryce Jarvis, who tossed a quick inning while allowing one hit with two strikeouts. For Jarvis, he has allowed only one earned run as a reliever since the beginning of June (seven games).
Eight of nine Aces in the starting lineup had a hit in the game and scored a run, while seven of the nine drove in at least one run. Leading the way in hits was Robinson as he closed his game 3-for-5 with a double and a run scored, while the duo of Fernandez and Ortiz each drove in two runs with the latter homering once. Only Locklear scored twice in the contest for Reno, one of which came on his solo homer.
Reno will try to keep up the offense when the two teams meet for game two of this series in a Wednesday afternoon matinee beginning at 12:05 p.m. PT from Greater Nevada Field.