7/31/2017: Fargo, ND: Reno Zephyrs right-hander Chad Stewart pitched 7.1 innings and allowed 5 runs scored in the 5-3 loss to the Fargo Dinosaurs yesterday afternoon at Jurassic Park.  Stewart is a respectable 6-4 on the season with a 3.31 ERA.  The twenty-five year old rookie represents everything this Zephyrs team stands for – youthful, inexperienced, determined.  The loss against Fargo created a serious mood in the clubhouse after the game but, I would not describe the atmosphere as somber.  After a win, the team seems to smile more than after a loss but win or lose this team is all business.  These guys seem to completely grasp that they are playing on a winning Reno team that has never before finished above fourth place in the Desert Hills division.

The 2017 season has been a true Cinderella Story for baseball fans.  After five straight seasons of more than 100 losses, the Zephyrs managed to take a step forward by posting a 70-92 record in 2016.  Obviously, pre-season expectations were high for this group, but very few could have predicted the Zephyrs to be 63-42 leading the in the Wild Card chase and trailing the division leading Bakersfield Bear by just 3.5 games.

Reno manager Santiago Díaz prefers to dwell on the upside of things.  “Our guys finished strong last year,” he said.  “You’ve got to play with a lot of pride, and you’ve got to play with a lot of heart.  The last several years were tough years, but you’ve still got to play the game the way it’s supposed to be played.”

These days, the mood among the Zephyrs is much better but, overall team attitude seems the same.

“It’s enjoyable to come to the park every day when you’ve got something to play for,” pitcher Chris Grinnell said.  “It starts dragging in August and September when you’re not really playing for something.  I’m just excited we’re in the position we are now.”

Outfielder Gilbert Murray, who is currently recovering from a two-week stint on the disabled list for a foot contusion, refuses to get too excited by the recent winning ways of the club.  “If you’re sitting here patting yourself on the back for your play in July, September will roll around in no time flat and you will be looking up at three or four teams ahead of you in the standings.  You have to have enough confidence in yourself to go out there and win the games that you need to win but, overconfidence will kill a young team every time.”

There is a lot of baseball left to play in the 2017 PEBA season.  A lot can happen for a young team who is just starting to show signs of life.  The Reno Zephyrs seem to know this and it shows in how they react to wins and losses.  It certainly has to feel good for Reno fans to see their team competing for the division as we turn the page to the month of August, and it has to feel even better knowing that this group of players understand seem to understand the stakes.