Reno Wins Pacific Coast League Championship
Sept. 15, 2012
Papillion, Neb.–After a club-record 81-wins, a flurry of individual accolades and a deep postseason run, the Reno Aces Baseball Club put an exclamation point on the 2012 season Saturday night, defeating the Omaha Storm Chasers 8-2 at Werner Park to win the first Pacific Coast League Championship in franchise history.
The Aces have become champions of the Pacific Coast League in just the fourth season of the franchise's existence. This marks the second PCL title by an Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate-the first since the Tucson Sidewinders won it in 2006. Reno gives Arizona its third Minor League championship of the 2012 season-a Diamondbacks record.
The Aces held sole possession of first place every day since May 25, and clinched their second-straight Pacific North Division championship on Aug. 30. Reno claimed its first Pacific Conference title on Sept. 9 after topping the Sacramento River Cats in a fifth and decisive Game 5 at Aces Ballpark. And now, playing in their first PCL Championship Series, the Aces registered a 3-1 series victory over the defending league champion Omaha Storm Chasers. The club now will advance to the 2012 Gildan Triple-A National Championship Game.
Aces outfielder and lead-off hitter A.J. Pollock was Most Valuable Player after the conclusion of the ballgame.
On Saturday night, Aces starter Charles Brewer (1-0) picked-up right where Game 3 starter Joe Martinez left-off last night. Brewer scattered two runs on five hits over 6.1 innings, walking two and striking out eight. After his exit, Joe Paterson, Jensen Lewis and Jonathan Albaladejo combined to preserve the lead and a Coast League championship.
Reno's offense pushed across an unearned run in the fourth, then padded the early lead with two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to take a lead that was never threatened. Tyler Kuhn registered his second four-hit effort of the postseason. Pollock homered for the second-straight night, and Mike Jacobs hit his fourth homer of the postseason.
The Aces now will play for a Triple-A championship on Tuesday night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, NC. Reno will take on the International League champion Pawtucket Red Sox at 4:05 p.m. PT. The game can be seen live on NBC Sports Network or heard on Fox Sports 630 AM in Reno.