Three Aces collected four hits and two Aces drove in five runs Friday night, as Reno cruised past the Round Rock Express, 17-6, in the series opener at Aces Ballpark.
The Express jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead, but the Aces responded in a big way. Reno scored four in the home half of the first, then tacked on eight more over the next two innings to take a lead it wouldn't let slip away. The offensive outburst marked Reno's biggest output at the plate since early June when the Aces scored 21 runs in Tacoma.
Chris Young, recently optioned to Reno by the Arizona Diamondbacks, finished 4-for-5 with four runs scored and two RBIs in his Aces debut. Two others, John Hester and Cole Gillespie, also finished with 4-hit nights for Reno. Hester drove in five runs, helped by a three-run homer in the seventh inning. Also driving in five was Ruben Gotay, who finished his day with a double and a towering two-run homer in the first inning. Brandon Allen also helped Reno's cause at the plate, collecting three hits, including a two-run homer of his own in the first.
Friday's win went to starter Hector Ambriz (6-8), who scattered six runs-five earned-on seven hits over five innings of work. Jose Marte, Doug Slaten and Scott Dohmann combined to keep the Express off the scoreboard over the game's final four frames.
The loss fell to Round Rock starter Erick Abreu (2-1), who surrendered 12 earned runs on 10 hits over 2.2 innings of work.
