The Reno Aces salvaged a split in their season-opening four-game series at Colorado Springs by pounding the Sky Sox 14-1 on Sunday in front of 5,817 fans.
The Aces scored four times in the fourth inning to break open a scoreless game and then put the game away with six more runs in the seventh. Tyler Skaggs earned the victory in his first start of the year, allowing four hits and no runs in six innings. Skaggs fanned four and walked two and was in complete control of the Sky Sox.
Singles by Mark Teahen and Kila Ka'aihue opened the fourth inning for the Aces. Brad Snyder then doubled home both Teahen and Ka'aihue for a 2-0 Reno lead. Tyler Bortnick and Ed Easley also followed with doubles as the Aces took a 4-0 lead off Sky Sox starter Nick Schmidt.
The Aces upped their lead to 10-0 with six runs in the seventh off Sky Sox relievers Josh Sullivan and Coty Woods. Teahen drove in the first run of the inning with a double. Matt Davidson followed with a two-run single and Bortnick hit a three-run home run.
Ka'aihue hit a solo home run in the eighth inning for an 11-0 Aces lead. The Aces then added three more runs in the ninth. Bortnick got his third hit of the game in the ninth though all the runs were unearned off Sky Sox reliever Jeff Manship.
Teahen, Ka'aihue and Bortionick all had three hits. Evan Frey, Davidson and Easley had two hits. Ka'aihue's homer was his first of the season.
Bortnick drove in his first four runs of the season. Snyder and Davison each drove in two runs. Easley, Teahen, Ka'aihue and Frey all drove in their first runs of the season.
Warner Madrigan (two innings) and Will Harris pitched the final three innings for the Aces in relief of Skaggs.
The Aces will open a four-game series at Salt Lake starting on Monday before opening their home schedule on Friday at Aces Ballpark (6:35 p.m.) against Sacramento.
