Silver Sox scratch out win vs. Yuma

RENO - The first-half champion Reno Silver Sox got back to the basics on Wednesday and for them that meant taking control of the game from the mound and doing whatever it takes to win games.

The Sox got six strong innings from 2002 McQueen High School graduate Jimmy Johnson, three more innings of lock-down relief from Nate Sevier, and a timely hit from second baseman Mike Done to take a 3-2 win over the Yuma Scorpions in front of an announced crowd of 1,583 at Peccole Park.

The third-place Sox improved to 5-4 (30-19 overall) with the win, while the fifth-place Scorpions fell to 3-7 (21-29).

Johnson pitched hitless ball until surrendering an RBI-single to Jacob Guzman with one down in the fourth inning. The second baseman drove in Henry Calderon, who reached second on an error by Reno center fielder James Shanks, who failed to make a diving catch.

Yuma shortstop Hector Tena scored on a Johnson wild pitch later in the inning to tie it 2-2, but that was all of the offense the Scorpions could muster.

Johnson improved to 2-0 and entered the game with a 2.45 earned run average. He struck out four while giving up two runs, four hits and two walks.

"Jimmy did an outstanding job of pitching," said Silver Sox manager Les Lancaster. He's been one of our most consistent pitchers since we picked him up. Since he's coming out of college, we have to watch his pitch count. But when he works ahead in the count, he's tough to hit."

So was Sevier, the Golden Baseball League's Pitcher of the Month. He struck out one and gave up only one hit - a single to Guzman, who got three of Yuma's hits - in the ninth.

"Sevier came in and had three strong innings," Lancaster said. "We extended him more than we wanted to, but those guys (the Scorpions) had trouble with his off-speed pitch. (Closer Scott) Schneider has been struggling a little bit, so we did what we had to do."

That pretty much describes Reno's sixth inning. New pickup D.J. Stacey began the inning with a single off starter Ryan Amason (who fell to 2-3). Designated hitter Chris Marini reached first on a fielder's choice, but Stacey was forced out at second.

Leadoff hitter C.J. Lang advanced Marini on a sacrifice bunt just before Done hit a flare to left, which gave Reno a 3-2 lead and all of the offense it would need.

"It wasn't pretty, but (Done) got the game-winning RBI. That's all that counts," Lancaster said. "We've been struggling getting guys in from third with two outs. We'll take 'em any way we can get 'em."

Reno took a 2-0 lead on Lang's second-inning, two-run single, which knocked in Phil Grau (single) and Stacey (who got hit by a pitch). Lang went 1-for-3 with 2 RBI and Stacey finished 2-for-3 and scored a run. Shanks went 2-for-4.

With the win Reno avoided losing consecutive games to the Scorpions and assured itself of at least a split in its four-game series with Yuma.

"It's very important with us. Even though the club clinched first place, they have to get out there and manufacture some runs," Lancaster said of stopping Yuma's winning streak at one. "To win these types of games is just another feather in the cap."

And it was another feather in the cap of Johnson, who made it two in a row with the win.

"I was feeling pretty good. I felt like I had my best stuff," said Johnson, a rookie from Pepperdine. "I just tried to stay with (catcher) Marcus Jensen. I've worked with him two games and he knows what he's doing. I just try to make good pitches - whatever he wants."

Johnson took command early, getting ahead of the count.

"I think I'm starting to get used to the way things work a bit," he said. "I still have a lot of stuff to work on, like being able to get deeper into games and stay strong throughout. The curveball takes its toll on your arm at first. When you throw everything, you want them to hit your pitch. As a pitcher, you control the flow of the game."

Which was something Sevier was also able to do.

"You can't ask for too much more out of him," Johnson said of the unbeaten Sevier (5-0), who entered the game with a 0.55 ERA and picked up his second save of the season. "He's a nasty, ground-ball machine. He throws strikes and they have a tough time hitting him."

Lancaster hopes that will be the same case today when Jared Bonnell (2-1, 5.85 ERA) takes the hill for the Sox against Yuma's Brian Bunyan (3-4, 5.27).

"We're going to watch Bonnell since he hasn't started in a while," Lancaster said. "We're hoping he can give us five strong innings. Our bullpen is fresh and we can turn it over to them."

The Reno-Yuma series finale begins at 6:35 p.m. at Peccole Park.