Reno defeats Tacoma before all-star break

RENO — Matt Pagnozzi provided the game-tying and go-ahead hits for the Reno Silver Sox (Aces) in a 5-4 victory over the Tacoma Rainiers Sunday afternoon at Aces Ballpark.

The Aces wore Silver Sox uniforms to recognize the former team’s name from 1947-1992.

Pagnozzi’s third home run of the season came in the fourth inning, a solo shot to left which knotted the game at four apiece. His next at-bat came with one away in the home half of the sixth, and he drove home Peter O’Brien from third base with a line-drive single to center.

For the fourth consecutive game, Reno (44-47) allowed Tacoma (44-47) to score first, but for the fourth straight contest, the Silver Sox came out on the winning end.

The Rainiers plated three runs in the top of the first off of Jhoulys Chacin, a frame which included a first-pitch lead-off home run by Leon Landry. The outfielders’ lead-off blast was his second in as many days. Later, Erik Kratz smacked a two-out, two-run single to give the visitors a 3-0 lead.

The Silver Sox responded immediately in the bottom of the first with three runs of their own. Garrett Weber (@_weber5) launched the first pitch he saw from Roenis Elias out for a lead-off home run to cut the deficit to 3-1.

Brandon Drury immediately followed with a single, then scored on an RBI double down the left-field line by Nick Evans. Elias came low and inside with his next pitch to Jamie Romak, narrowly missing the first baseman. His next pitch did not miss. He hit Romak sparking an argument between Aces Manager Phil Nevin and home plate umpire Greg Stanzak.

Nevin was ejected from the game without warning, just moments before Elias balked in a run to tie the game at 3-3.

Tacoma regained the lead in the third on a run-scoring single by John Hicks. Pagnozzi’s home run evened the game at 4-4 in the fourth.

The catcher was at it again in the sixth with the run-scoring base hit to give the Silver Sox the lead for good.

Chacin settled in after the rocky first inning and turned in seven solid innings before handing off to the bullpen. Evan Marshall (@emarsh31) worked a scoreless ninth and J.C. Ramirez followed suit in the ninth. Chacin improved to 2-2 with the win and Ramirez got his first save of the season.

Todd Glaesmann helped Ramirez with a diving catch to take away a base hit from Zach Shank to start the ninth inning.

Pagnozzi finished 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. Evans had a multi-hit game as well.

The Aces have been off for the three days before resuming play in Salt Lake City on Thursday. Romak and O’Brien represented the team in the Triple-A Home Run Derby Monday night in Omaha, Nebraska and both will start in the Triple-A All-Star Game tonight.

Saturday

Another huge game from All-Star Jamie Romak led the Reno Silver Sox to a 7-4 win over the Tacoma Rainiers on Saturday night in front of 8,602 fans at Aces Ballpark.

Romak went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and a two-run double to open the Aces’ “Reno Silver Sox Weekend” with a bang.

Just like Friday night, the Silver Sox had to come from behind. Leon Landry belted a lead-off home run to start the game for the Rainiers. They added a second run in the opening inning on a sacrifice fly by John Hicks, then made it 3-0 on Leury Bonilla’s RBI double in the second.

The comeback started with consecutive two-out hits by Raul Navarro and Nick Buss in the third. Navarro singled and moved to second on a wild pitch by Forrest Snow, then scored on a base hit to right-center by Buss.

Romak’s big night started when he led off the bottom of the fourth with a booming solo home run to left-field, the 18th long ball of the season for the Triple-A Home Run Derby participant.

While the Silver Sox’s bats were heating up, starter Edgar Garcia was settling in on the mound. After Bonilla’s double in the second, he limited the Rainiers to just one hit over the next four innings. Overall, he allowed three runs on six hits in six innings.

A four-run fifth inning helped Reno take the lead for good. Jordan Pacheco (@Jstylep) started the inning with a walk and moved to second on Navarro’s sacrifice bunt. Buss walked to put two on for Brandon Drury who crushed a pitch from Snow off the wall in left-center. He pulled into second with a two-run double to give the Silver Sox a 4-3 lead.

Garrett Weber followed with a walk, putting two on for Romak. The third baseman laced a line drive down the left-field line, scoring Drury and Weber to give Reno a 6-3 cushion. It was Romak’s 28th double of the season to go along with a PCL-best 69 RBI.

The Rainiers got a run back in the top of the seventh, but Todd Glaesmann boosted the lead back up to three runs with an RBI single in the bottom half. The center-fielder is 9-for-16 with 7 RBI and 5 runs scored in the series.

Reliever Matt Stites fired a 1-2-3 eighth inning, and Addison Reed shut the door on Tacoma in the ninth to notch his fourth save

Along with Romak’s two hits, Drury, Glaesmann and Navarro each had two hits as well.