SOUTH JORDAN, Utah – Not even a five-run eighth could save the Reno Aces from defeat on Sunday, as their large inning brought them within one until the Salt Lake Bees added insurance late in an 8-6 decision for Salt Lake.
A home run in the second inning to start the game’s scoring from Manuel Pena was all the scoring the Aces (12-9/44-52) could manage for most of the contest, as they were then held in check until they rallied again late in the eighth. That homer was the 30th of the 2026 campaign for Pena, third most in all affiliated baseball.
Reno then watched the Bees (9-12/48-47) score the game’s next seven runs, striking in the second, fourth, sixth and seventh frames as they built their advantage.
It was a two-out rally for the Aces in the eighth, putting a runner on in three different ways with a walk, single and hit batsman. Delivering the first blow was Pavin Smith when he lined a single into right field, scoring two on the play.
Meanwhile, Danny Serretti gave a rude greeting to Tayler Saucedo by launching a three-run homer to left field as the very first batter he faced, pulling the score to 7-6. That was just the third homer of the season for the Aces, but the 27th time this season that the Aces have hit multiple home runs in a single game.
However, a Zach Humphreys double plated an unnecessary insurance tally that brought the game to its 8-6 final.
Starter Tommy Henry (2-6) was charged the loss for Reno, his sixth of the season after surrendering five runs on eight hits despite setting the new Aces single-game best strikeout mark this season with 10. That comes on the heels of Jose Cabrera punching out nine yesterday, which at the time was the new single-game high by an Ace this season.
Both Pena and Serretti finished their game with two hits including a homer, the latter driving in three runs while the former had one RBI but scored twice. Smith was the only other Ace with an RBI, ending his game with two while going 1-for-3 and scoring once.
Now with the conclusion of this three-game set, the Aces will return to Reno as they prepare for six games at Greater Nevada Field with the Tacoma Rainiers.