Silver Sox light up first-place Chico
BY DARRELL MOODY
Appeal Sports Writer
RENO - The Reno Silver Sox have a fireworks show scheduled for tonight to wrap up their current homestand. Reno hitters put on their own explosive show a day early.
Reno hit four homers, three in an eight-run fourth inning, but it was an eighth-inning run-scoring double by ex-Galena star Chuck Sindlinger that gave the Silver Sox a 10-9 win over first-place Chico Monday night at Peccole Park.
Reno, which won despite making a season-high seven errors, has won six of its last seven and improved to 10-13. Chico dropped to 17-7.
Trailing 9-6 after four innings, the Outlaws scored two in the seventh and one in the eighth, tying the game at 9.
Chico put Nick Singleton in to start the inning, and he struck out the first two batters he faced. Victor Hall singled and stole second. Sindlinger stroked a 2-2 slider to the fence in left to score Hall and sent the small crowd home happy.
"They have been busting me in and trying to get me to chase the slider," Sindlinger said. "I stayed short (with my swing). I was looking for it (the slider) a a little bit."
Chico got the tying run to second with two outs in the ninth off reliever Mike Peck, but Eric Pringle popped to center to end the game.
Sindlinger went 3-for-5 to lead the 14-hit attack. The Silver Sox, who got two homers from Kane Simmons and one each by Jose Rodriguez and Ryan Brown, have scored 74 runs in their last seven games, which accounts for their recent success.
"Hitting is contagious," said Rodriguez. "If we all start hitting together, we can do a lot of damage. The new guys have helped."
Rodriguez was referring to Brown and Simmons. Brown is 4-for-9 with two homers and six RBI in two games, and Simmons is 6-for-16 with two homers and eight RBI in four games.
"I'm seeing the ball well," said Brown. "I'm just trying to hit." Brown said he remembers a short span in college where he hit three-run homers.
Chico took a 1-0 lead in the second, scoring an unearned run when Jason Van Meetron reached on an error and came around to score on a passed ball.
Reno evened it in the third when Simmons slammed his first homer of the season over the fence in left.
Reno starter Jason Martinez gave up five runs on three hits, including a bases-loaded triple by No. 9 hitter Eric Pringle.
Chico's 6-1 lead didn't last long - several minutes to be exact.
Reno sent 13 hitters to the plate and at one point knocked out seven straight hits against Chico starter Phil Springman.
Sindlinger singled to right and scored ahead of Rodriguez's homer, a broken-bat shot over the fence in left. The barrel of the bat landed about 50 feet from the plate.
"I've never seen that before," said second baseman Mike Done when asked about Rodriguez's blast. "He said he got it off the barrel, too."
"There was something wrong with the bat," Rodriguez said. "I hit it good. That's never happened before. There is a first time for everything, especially in baseball."
Former University of Nevada standout Bub Madrid singled, moved to third on a single by Cody Nowlin and scored on Done's double.
Up stepped Brown, who delivered a three-run homer in his season debut on Sunday. Brown came through again with another three-run shot to give Reno a 7-6 lead. Simmons followed with his second homer of the game to make it 8-6. Hall singled and eventually scored on a two-out error for a 9-6 advantage.
Chico sliced the lead to 9-8 with two runs off relievers Josh Evans and Chris Testa.
David Pierson reached on an error when Brown's throw handcuffed Evans trying to cover the bag. Evans injured his ankle on the play, and was replaced by Testa.
Pierson was balked to second, moved to third on Scott Dragicevich's single and scored on a single by Daniel Nava. An error by Done allowed the second run to score to make it 9-8.
Closer Adam Nikolic came on in the eighth, and allowed the tying run.
Jason Matteucci singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a walk. Matteucci scored when Nikolic was called for a balk.
That set the stage for Sindlinger's game-winning hit which wiped out a dismal fielding performance by the Silver Sox, who have made 58 errors this season.
Manager Les Lancaster, who was unavailable for comment after the game, ripped into his team on the playing field for several minutes.
NOTES: The homestand concludes tonight at 7 with Nick Moran, 0-1, opposing Jake McKinley, 2-1. The Silver Legacy is sponsoring the fireworks show after the contest ... Chico manager Mark Parent was ejected in the seventh inning by base umpire Bobby Hayes after arguing a call at second base on a Madrid stolen base. Hayes tossed Parent out as he was walking back to the dugout. Parent stormed back onto the field, getting into Hayes' face for several minutes before leaving. It was the second time in two nights that Hayes has tossed Parent... The plate umpire was Ron Barnes, a former Major League and Triple-A umpire.
• Contact Darrell Moody at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com, or by calling (775) 881-1281.