Plenty of fireworks in Reno's loss

RENO - A Reno Silver Sox record-crowd of 2,497 fans got nearly everything they could ask for Monday at Peccole Park - an exciting game, loads of entertainment from enthusiastic announcer Michael Anthony, a fireworks display and a feel-good atmosphere.

But the crowd - and the Sox - came up short where it mattered most, as the Fullerton Flyers came from behind to deal Reno a 6-5 defeat.

Flyers catcher Jacob Wallis made Anthony pay for designating him the "beverage batter: (fans received a discount on beer every time Wallis struck out), belting a three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning off Nevada's ace closer Scott Schneider to give Fullerton a 6-5 lead.

Reno center fielder Richard Giannotti began a rally in the bottom of the inning, getting a double off Flyers closer Wes Faust (now 1-1) and C.J. Lang advanced him to third on a sacrifice bunt.

Hot-hitting Marcus Jensen drew a walk, but slugger Edgar Varela - who went 2-for-5, with a seventh-inning homer and 2 RBI - hit into a double play to end the game.

The loss dropped the first-place Sox to 20-11 in the Golden Baseball League and combined with Long Beach's 3-1 victory over Yuma Monday, they now have a 1 1/2-game lead over the Armada.

"We blew it," said Silver Sox manager Les Lancaster. "We game it to 'em. We fell behind in the count in the ninth inning. You do that and anyone can hit a fastball."

In this case it was Wallis and shortstop Matt Ferrara who did the hitting.

Schneider entered the ninth with a 5-2 lead and came in after a scoreless eighth inning from Jared Bonnell. Schneider walked Gary Templeton II and Rich Pohle on eight consecutive balls before striking out Peanut Williams and forcing Chad Chop to fly out to center.

But Ferrara nailed a first-pitch single to left center to drive in Templeton to cut the led to 5-3 and then Wallis hit a 3-2 offering out of the park for what turned out to be the game-winning hit.

For Fullerton - and in particular Wallis - the win was the end of a frustrating couple of days.

"The turbo went out on our bus a couple of days ago and we were literally rolling backward down a hill," Wallis recounted. "(Sunday) our bus driver was an hour late (after the game, a loss). I had a lot of motivation the whole trip. I was seeing the ball and not executing.

"Then they (Anthony) made me the beer batter and I had two strikeouts. The fans were on me. That doesn't bother me, because I came though for the team."

So did Williams. He was on the end of some good-natured ribbing from Anthony who, much to the crowd's delight, performed a spontaneous riff at the expense of the 6-foot-3, 235-pound Williams - something along the lines of "It's Peanut Butter Williams time" and "Peanut Butter at bat" in the seventh inning.

His team down 2-0, a clearly agitated Williams took a mighty cut but missed Sox starter James Johnson's first pitch. But he pummeled the next one well over 400 feet and over the center-field wall. He drove in Templeton, who led off the inning with a double, to tie the game.

Asked if he was swinging for the fences, Williams smiled.

"Oh yeah, all the time. Not really the fence, but with my strength if I get a good (swing) on it, the ball's gonna fly. I just want to make contact."

For a while, it looked like Williams wanted to make contact with Anthony as he cast a stare up at the press box, tipped his cap and pointed his finger after the blast.

"It was all in fun," said Williams, who coming into the game led the Golden Baseball League with a .368 batting average. "I wasn't mad. I was just having fun. I was feeling good. The guy (Johnson) was beating me early in the game (Williams finished 1-for-4, with two strikeouts and the homer). I wasn't relaxed. But when the sun goes down, my approach changes and I feel like a different player."

While the fans and the Flyers took Anthony's fun in stride, Lancaster didn't.

"That's bush league, the stuff they're doing here," Lancaster said. "I'm going to talk to them about that. It's announcing - make it professional. It's not called for. It's not high school or college. Announce it in a professional way."

Reno took a 2-0 lead in the fifth, when right fielder Phil Grau homered to left off Flyers starter Chris Jakubauskas. Then Jensen (who went 2-for-3 and was batting .339 coming in) doubled in Giannotti.

Jakubauskas (0-0) went 6 2/3 innings, giving up three runs (two earned) and eight hits, while striking out three. He was relieved by Ryan Olson, who gave up two runs and two hits over 1 1/3. Faust went one scoreless inning, allowing two hits.

For his part Johnson, making his second start since signing a week ago, had a solid outing, lasting 7 innings, spreading out five hits and allowing two runs.

"He did an outstanding job," Lancaster said. "He went six strong innings and in the seventh he made a mistake and gave a pitch to Peanut. Overall, he did an outstanding job. He threw all of his pitches for strikes and should have came away with a win."

Schneider (1-2) lost his second game in four outings against the Flyers, who moved into fourth place with a 13-17 record. Schneider surrendered four runs, two hits and walked two in an inning of work.

The Sox now turn their attention to the last-place San Diego Surf Dawgs, who visit Reno for a three-game series beginning today at 4:05 p.m. (gates open at 3:05).

Former Oakland A's slugger Jose Canseco, who recently signed with the Surf Dawgs, will not attend today's game, but is expected to play in the other two.

"We just have to come out and play baseball," Lancaster said. "Canseco is not a big thing for us. That's San Diego's problem. Ours is to play baseball."

Notes: The Silver Sox released catcher Wayne Astrauskas, who was batting .290 and had seven RBI in 31 at-bats. Before the game, Astrauskas walked across the field and asked Flyers' manager Garry Templeton for a job. There was no word on Templeton's response...Jason Dewey, who was picked up from Yuma on Sunday, went 1-for-4 in his first game for Reno. He had a single in his first at-bat at designated hitter...Reno outhit Fullerton 12-8.