RENO - It was truly a feast for Reno Silver Sox hitters. It didn't make any difference who threw for the San Diego Surf Dawgs or what they threw. The Silver Sox hit everything and hit everything hard.
Reno pounded out a season-high 28 hits - 13 for extra bases - en route to a 26-3 demolition of the defending GBL champion Surf Dawgs before a crowd of 1,128 Wednesday night at Peccole Park.
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak and upped Reno's league-best record to 21-12. The teams conclude their three-game series tonight at 6:30.
Ten of the 11 players that manager Les Lancaster used on offense had at least one hit. Two starters - leadoff man Rich Giannotti and ex-Nevada star Bub Madrid - each went 5-for-7. Giannotti drove in four runs and Madrid plated three. Marcus Jensen also had a big night, going 3-for-6 with two three-run homers.
It was an amazing night, and the Silver Sox players seemed to be a little shocked at their offensive uprising that came against four San Diego pitchers.
"The most I've had is 21 or 22," Lancaster said. "The offense was just unbelievable. We didn't try to run the score up. The singles, doubles and homers just added up. We didn't try to make San Diego look bad.
"When we scored nine runs (in the fifth to make it 20-3) that put the dagger in them. It looked like San Diego laid down a little bit. We have to keep being aggressive like we were tonight. We'll see better pitching, too. It's going to be a little bit tougher."
Hitting is all about confidence and a good mental approach. Jensen also said it's contagious.
"I don't think I've ever (been on a team) that has scored in the 20s," Jensen said. "It (hitting) is definitely contagious with this team because we're such an offensive team. All it takes is for one guy to get it going."
In this case, everybody got hot. Giannotti raised his average from .266 to .326 with his season-best offensive performance.
"Today was a fun game," Giannotti said. "You have to sit back and enjoy these games when you can, because tomorrow could be an 0-for.
"Anytime in Reno and in this altitude, you're going to put up numbers. When they scored three and we put up six, I had a feeling both teams were going to score a lot of runs."
Reno kept scoring, but San Diego didn't.
Silver Sox starter Carlos Chavez settled down after the rocky start when he gave up three runs and three hits. Chavez allowed only two more hits over the next five innings.
"He gave us five or six quality innings," Jensen said. "We were able to give the (main) bullpen guys a rest."
The win was Chavez's second straight since joining the Silver Sox. He struck out five and walked two. Newcomer Everett Stull and Jason Martinez finished up.
"I went out and tried to throw strikes," Chavez said. "That (six-run first) gave me a lot of confidence. I tried to get out there and get us right back in the dugout."
"It looked like he (Chavez) didn't have the feel for the ball real solid," Lancaster said. "It took a while to work up a good sweat. He got a lot better and started getting ahead of the hitters and ahead in the count. Two of the balls should have been caught (in the first)."
While Chavez improved as the game went along, the same can't be said for Jake Meyer, who was making his San Diego debut. It was ugly from the outset and got worse.
After Giannotti singled and C.J. Lang walked to start the game, Jensen lofted a three-run homer just inside the foul pole in left, tying the game at 3. The left fielder drifted toward the line like he had a play on the ball, but it sailed over his head.
"I thought I hit the ball better than he indicated," Jensen said, referring to San Diego left fielder Scott Goodman.
After Edgar Varela flied out to center, Doug Gredvig singled and Jason Dewey walked. Madrid doubled home Gredvig, and Mike Done followed with a two-run double to center to make it 6-3.
The Silver Sox tacked on another run in the third when Madrid singled sharply through the middle and scored on Giannotti's infield single that went off Meyer's glove and made it 7-3.
Edgar Varela led off the fourth with his sixth homer of the year. After a walk and an infield single by Madrid, Done flied to left. Phil Grau, the No. 9 hitter, doubled home Gredvig, and Giannotti followed with a two-run triple to make it 11-3. Meyer was spared from further embarrassment.
Reno followed with a nine-run fifth off reliever Joe Safken, who only retired one of the 12 batters he faced before giving way to Marcos Mendoza. Madrid and Jensen each doubled in the inning and Gredvig contributed two hits as Reno padded its lead to 20-3.
The Sox added six more in the sixth as Grau blasted a two-run homer and Jensen muscled a change-up out of the yard for his second three-run homer of the day. He has eight homers on the season.