Grizzlies drop second straight to Aces

The Fresno Grizzlies (70-58) fell 11-8 to the Reno Aces (72-56) in the second game of the four-game series on Sunday at Greater Nevada Field. The Grizzlies must win the final two games of the series in order to secure a playoff tiebreaker. Reno now leads the season series 8-7 while the Grizzlies are two games back in the Pacific North Division.
The game was tied 2-2 after the opening frame. For Fresno, Tony Kemp (4-for-5) led off the contest with a base hit and scored on a Tyler White (3-for-5) RBI single before Colin Walsh (walk) scored from third on a double play ball. For Reno, Jack Reinheimer (2-for-5) and Sócrates Brito (3-for-5) both hit RBI singles that scored Oswaldo Arcia (single) and Christian Walker (walk) respectively.
The Grizzlies took a 5-2 in the third. Walsh knocked a RBI single that scored Kemp who also singled to get on before Walsh scored on a White two-run homer to left. It was White's 22^nd home run of the season and first of the night. The Aces cut the Fresno lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth. Brito and Kristopher Negrón (2-for-4) both tripled, with Negron's bringing in the run before he scored on an Evan Marzilli (3-for-4) RBI groundout.
Fresno increased their lead to 7-4 in the fifth on White's second home run of the game and 23^rd of the season. It was another two-run shot to left that scored Kemp after a leadoff single. It was Kemp and White's third hit of the game while it was White's fifth RBI and Kemp's third run scored. Only two Grizz batters have had six RBI in a game this season, White being one and Jon Kemmer being the other. It's the second time Kemp has scored three times in a game in 2017. It was White's second two-homer game of the season and the 12^th such game overall for the Grizzlies.
Five consecutive singles in the bottom of the eighth put the Aces ahead by one before Walker crushed a three-run homer to left to give the home team an 11-7 lead. It was Walker's 32^nd home run of the season. The Grizzlies were able to tally one last run in the ninth to make the final score 11-8. Alejandro Garcia started the final frame with a double and scored on a Kemp RBI double. It was Kemp's fourth hit of the game for his second four-hit game of the season. He has had one five-hit game in 2017.
Grizzlies starter Kent Emanuel allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts through four innings. Brendan McCurry (4-1) suffered the loss through an inning of relief allowing five runs on five hits without a walk.
Reno starter Aaron Laffey lasted just two innings and a third allowing five runs on five hits and a walk. He did not record a strikeout. Louis Coleman (1-1) earned the win in a scoreless inning of relief without allowing a hit. He walked three and struck out two.
The series continues with game three on Monday at 7:05 p.m. RHP Cy Sneed (0-0, 9.00) will make his second Triple-A start of the season for Fresno against Reno LHP Anthony Banda (7-6, 5.13).