When you’re hot, you’re hot. That has quickly become the theme song of the Las Vegas 51s as the club won its eighth straight game Friday night to take a one-game lead in the Pacific Northern Division of the Pacific Coast League. It has been an amazing run that has moved the team from five games under .500 to three games over.

Matt Bowman started for Las Vegas, and the Reno Aces got to him right off. In the top of the first inning Mike Freeman tripled into centerfield with one out. Peter O’Brien then hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Freeman and made it 1-0.

The early run buoyed the joy of the Aces, but that did not last long. In the bottom of the inning Reno starter Vidal Nuno retired the first two batters, but Matt Reynolds lined a shot into rightfield, racing into second for the two-out double. Alex Castellanos then lined a single into leftfield scoring Reynolds and tying the game at one.

In the second Bowman started to get into a groove. He walked two batters in the inning, but all his pitches were really working on this night, as he retired the side on three ground outs.

In the bottom of the second, the Las Vegas 51s took the lead. Johnny Monell singled to lead off the inning. One out later Kyle Johnson grounded to second baseman Jamie Romak who was able to get the first out at second base, but Johnson beat the throw to keep the inning alive. Bowman then hit a ground ball to shortstop Mike Freeman, but his miscue allowed Bowman to reach safely and the inning to be kept alive. Danny Muno walked to load the bases, bringing Wilfredo Tovar to the plate. Tovar grounded into the hole between short and third that Aces third baseman Kevin Frandsen made a nice dive for, but the ball deflected off of his glove and got away, allowing Johnson and Bowman to score to stake the 51s to a 3-1 lead.

The two-run lead was plenty enough for Bowman. The right-hander had struggled early on in the season, but on this night he was in complete control. In the third Bowman retired the side, only allowing O’Brien to reach base on a hit by pitch. All three batters were retired without the ball leaving the infield, one on a ground out, one on a line out and the final out on a strikeout.

In the fourth all three batters were retired on groundouts. In the fifth, Nuno singled, the first hit for the Aces since the first inning. However, following the single, Bowman remained poised and retired the final two hitters of the inning to keep the score at 3-1.

That was Bowman’s last inning. He pitched beautifully Friday night, allowing just two hits and two walks in five innings of work. For Bowman (2-3), it was his second straight win, and second outing where he kept the opponent with less than two earned runs scored.

Duane Below took over, and pitched 2.1 quality innings, without giving up a run. In the eighth Below found himself in a little trouble. O’Brien singled with one out, and Nick Evans reached on an error that put runners at the corners. Chase Bradford relieved, and induced a double-play ground out by Matt Pagnozzi to end the threat.

In the bottom of the eighth the Las Vegas 51s added an insurance run. Alex Castellanos walked to lead off the inning, and stole second as Brooks Conrad struck out. Johnny Monell then singled to score Castellanos to make the score 4-1. That extra run wound up playing a pivotal role in the game.

In the ninth inning Jon Velasquez took over. He retired the first batter, then gave up a single to Frandsen. Danny Worth followed with a force that put Worth on first with two outs. Garrett Weber pinch-hit and promptly drilled a two-run home run over the right-centerfield wall to make it a one-run game. Velasquez remained calm. He came right after Romak, striking him out to end the game. Despite allowing the home run, Velasquez earned his first save of the season.

Nuno (2-2) was the hard luck loser in the contest. He pitched quite well, being hurt by a miscue. Nuno pitched six innings, allowing eight hits, two walks and one earned run.

The two teams square off again tomorrow, as Reno looks to snap the Las Vegas 51s eight-game win streak. Noah Syndergaard (1-0) will start for Las Vegas, and Justin Marks (2-2) goes for Reno.

Boxscore Provided by MiLB.com

By Robert Pannier