RENO, Nev."Tony Barnette allowed just one run over 6.2 innings, earning his first-career Triple-A victory in a 6-1 win for the Reno Aces over the Portland Beavers in the series opener Thursday night at Aces Ballpark.
Barnette (1-2) diced up the Portland offense to the tune of 5 hits and just one run"a third-inning sacrifice fly. The outing was his longest of the season and resulted in his first win of the season. Backing up Barnette, the Reno bullpen was lights out, combining to surrender just one hit over the game's final 2.1 innings. Doug Slaten made his Reno debut, striking out the only batter he faced with runners on the corners and two outs in the seventh. Leo Rosales and Bobby Korecky each then came on to deal a scoreless frame to slam the door.
The Aces jumped on the board with a run in the first on an Alex Romero RBI double to left. Portland tied the score in the third on Will Venable's sacrifice fly, but then the game belonged to Reno. The Aces took the lead back in the fifth on a Trent Oeltjen run-scoring groundout, then added two more runs in the seventh to go ahead 4-1. In the eighth, Chris Roberson smashed a two-run shot to right, the first pinch-hit home run in club history.
Romero led the way for the Reno offense with three hits, a run scored and one more driven in. Four Aces finished the day with a multi-hit game.
Portland starter Josh Banks (0-2) took the loss for the Beavers. Banks allowed two runs on eight hits over four innings. He walked four and struck out four in a 94-pitch effort.
The series rolls on Friday night. RHP Seth Etherton (2-1, 3.27 ERA) will toe the slab for the Aces, while Portland is set to counter with LHP Cesar Ramos (1-1