ROUND ROCK, Texas – The Reno Aces scored four times between the fourth and fifth innings, establishing a 4-2 lead, but in the end three runs by Round Rock in the bottom of the seventh turned into a 5-4 Express victory on Friday.
After the Express (18-13/49-57) started the scoring in the bottom of the second, the Aces (17-14/49-57) responded quickly with a three-run home run courtesy of Pavin Smith. The blast had come just three batters into the top of the fourth as Manuel Pena singled to get things started while Danny Serretti joined him aboard with a walk.
Serretti added onto that lead when he hammered his fourth homer of the season in solo fashion during the top of the fifth, ripping a two-out blast from a full count out to right field.
However, the lead quickly unraveled in the bottom of the seventh starting with a solo home run from Keyber Rodriguez. A walk preceded a Jarred Kelenic triple and came around to score, while Cody Freeman quickly brought home Kelenic on a sacrifice fly.
Reno provided little resistance in the latter frames, as the Aces had 10 straight retired from the sixth through the top of the ninth until an Anderdson Rojas single with the Aces down to their final out. Though Rojas advanced to third on a throwing error, Demetrio Crisantes grounded out to the pitcher to end the contest.
Juan Burgos (2-5) was charged with the loss and the blown save after he allowed the three runs in the seventh on two hits with two strikeouts and one walk. Tommy Henry had tied franchise history with his 68th career Aces start but left after 5.2 innings and two runs allowed on five hits with four strikeouts to three walks.
Pena and Serretti each finished with two hits in the game, Serretti scoring twice while driving one in thanks to his homer to just the one run scored for Pena. Smith provided most of the offense with his one hit, earning three of the four Reno RBI.
The Aces now find themselves trailing in the series 3-1, and they look to avoid a series loss when the two meet for game five of the series on Saturday at 5:05 p.m. PT from Dell Diamond.