Nunez slugs 29th homer in Sounds' romp

For nearly 3 1/2 hours on Saturday night, the Triple-A Nashville Sounds and Reno Aces made life difficult for the men on the mound.
A's No. 24 prospect Renato Nunez slugged his Minor League-leading 29th homer as Nashville rolled to a 15-8 victory over Reno, which got five hits from Kristopher Negrón. The teams combined for 35 hits, including six long balls, in 85 at-bats.

After back-to-back homers by A's top prospect Franklin Barreto and No. 16 prospect Matt Olson sparked the Sounds' seven-run first inning, Nunez helped extend the lead in the second. The 23-year-old infielder fought out of an 0-2 hole against Aces starter Matt Koch and blasted the ball over the wall in left-center to make it 9-0.
Gameday box score
Nunez, who's homered each of the last two nights, extended his lead in the Minor League home run race to two. Sixth-ranked Phillies prospect Rhys Hoskins of Triple-A Lehigh Valley and third-ranked Red Sox prospectMichael Chavis of Double-A Portland are tied for second with 27. The Venezuela native needs one more homer to eclipse the career high he established in 2014 with Class A Advanced Stockton.
Nunez also doubled, walked and scored three runs.
Negron helped the Aces rally for eight runs between the second and fourth innings. He singled to right in the second, doubled to center in the third and ripped an RBI single to left in the fourth.

The 31-year-old infielder added another single to left in the sixth. With an infield single off the glove of reliever Logan Bawcom in the eighth, he completed his first five-hit game since Aug. 22, 2008 with Class A Advanced Lancaster while in the Red Sox system.

Olson went 3-for-5 with a homer, walk and three runs scored. A's No. 25 prospect Joe Wendle contributed three hits, two RBIs and two runs scored and No. 14 prospect Yairo Muñoz plated four runs with a two-run blast and a single. Chris Carter also went yard, giving Nashville five dingers on the night.
Barreto added a single in the ninth and is 14-for-26 (.538) in his last six games.
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Oswaldo Arcia backed Negron's efforts with a solo shot for Reno, while D-backs No 25 prospectJack Reinheimer went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
Koch (1-2) was roughed up for 11 runs on 12 hits and a walk over two innings and took the loss.
Felix Doubront (2-2) gave up two hits and a walk and fanned one in 1 1/3 scoreless frames to earn the win.