RENO - Scott Schneider has appeared in exactly half of the Reno Silver Sox's 34 games, and he is starting to show the effects of that.
San Diego exploded for five ninth-inning runs, the final two of which were charged to Schneider, en route to a 12-10 come-from-behind Golden Baseball League win over Reno Thursday night at Peccole Park.
It capped the end to a bizarre night, which saw San Diego manager Terry Kennedy leave the playing field and go into the press box to dress down the Silver Sox announcer for showing his team no respect. A shoving match ensued between Kennedy and Silver Sox personnel before order was restored.
Despite the loss, Reno maintained its 2 1/2-game lead over Long Beach, which lost at Yuma. Reno opens a pivotal three-game set tonight with Long Beach in a series that could determine the first-half champion. Reno's magic number is five with six games left.
Schneider had worked four straight games, but had the last two nights off. He blew a save in the Sox's game against Fullerton on July 3, and just wasn't effective last night. He gave up two runs, two hits and walked a batter after relieving the ineffective Everett Stull, who failed to retire any of the three batters he faced.
San Diego trailed 10-8 when Schneider came in with runners on second and third with no outs. He walked Richard Quihuis-Bell to load the bases, and Tony Garcia tied the game at 10 with a two-run single.
After Schneider struck out Matt Maloney, he hit Kevin Ciarrachi with a pitch to re-load the bases. Adam Mandel forced pinch-runner Matt Connolly at home, but Day drilled a two-run single to make it 12-10. Schneider retired Seth Pietsch on an infield roller to end the inning.
Reno went out quietly in the ninth against Josh Rummonds, who picked up his sixth save of the year.
Injuries played a big role in the loss. Nate Sevier, who usually sets up Schneider, had been put on the disabled list prior to the game with arm problems.
"He (Sevier) is one of the top pitchers in the league," Silver Sox manager Les Lancaster said. "He was not able to go.
"You can't fall behind in the count and we walked too many people (two in the ninth, one by each pitcher). I didn't start the inning with Schneider because I was trying to rest him for Long Beach. He came in and was wild."
Schneider had only walked three batters in 17 2/3 innings before last night. He admitted that he was tired and that played a part in his lack of location and command.
"I was trying to manipulate the ball," said Schneider, who has now pitched in five of Reno's last seven games. "I was trying to overthrow a little bit. I did the best with what I had."
Losses like this one can sometime linger, but Reno can't afford to let that happen with the Long Beach series starting tonight.
"I don't think it will," said right fielder Phil Grau, who went 2-for-3 and homered for the second time in as many games. "We've put up a lot of runs the last few games. We've got to be more focused."
Offensively, Reno picked up where it left off from Wednesday when it racked up 26 runs and 28 hits in a 26-3 win.
The Sox took a 3-0 lead when Rich Giannotti singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Marcus Jensen's single to center. Edgar Varela followed with his sixth homer of the year.
Reno upped the lead to 6-0 in the second when Jensen pounded a three-run homer, his team-leading ninth of the year.
San Diego cut the deficit to 6-2 with two runs in the third off Reno starter Hideki Nagasaka, who breezed through the first two innings, allowing just one hit. Day singled home a run, and the second run scored on a double play.
The Surf Dawgs trimmed the lead to 6-5 with three runs in the fifth, two coming on a single by Mandel and one on a Day single. Nagasaka left after Day's single. Jared Bonnell gave up a single to the first hitter he faced, but escaped further damage.
Jason Dewey, who was off to a 2-for-17 start with Reno after coming over from Yuma in a trade, slammed a solo homer for a 7-5 lead.
Grau made it 9-5 with a two-run homer in the sixth, but Reno's bats managed only one run over the final three innings against relievers Brent Porciau, 2-0, and Rummonds.
"He's done an outstanding job," Lancaster said of Grau, who has been an effective No. 9 hitter. "He's learning the zone a little better and starting to hit like he did early in the season (training camp)."
"I was struggling a little bit when we were on the road," Grau said. "Rafael (Melchione, hitting coach) showed me some video from earlier in the year when I was hitting well. He showed me some things with my stance and my hands going to the ball. I'm seeing the ball a lot better the last few days."
San Diego cut the lead to 9-7 in the top of the eighth only to see Reno score once in the eighth to make it 10-7 entering the fateful ninth.