Aces Boom During July 4 Week Against Tacoma

RENO, Nev. – The Reno Aces and the Tacoma Rainiers, Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, put on their own display of firepower during their six-game series last week, and in a series that featured two shutout games, the Aces walked away with a series win by a 4-2 margin.

Stellar pitching and seven combined runs between the third and fourth inning led to the fourth shutout win of the season for Reno on June 30, blanking Tacoma to start the set with a 7-0 victory.

In a game started by Mitch Bratt it was no doubt there would be excellent pitching, as he worked four scoreless frames while yielding just two hits with three punchouts, the third time this season he had not allowed a run in a start.

All three runs in the third scored in the most exciting of fashions when Tim Tawa’s deep fly ball to center crashed off the wall along with the center fielder, allowing him and two others to speed all the way around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. That represented the 15th in Aces history, the second this season alongside Andrew Velazquez.

Jonatan Bernal and Landon Sims did much of the remaining work as each tossed two run-free frames, the latter of which struck out three with two walks. The effort by Bernal earned him the victory, the first in his Triple-A career.

That secured the Reno’s first shutout win over Tacoma since July 10, 2025, however it was the first time that the Aces had held the Rainiers without a run in Cheney Stadium since Aug. 5, 2015.

TIM TAWA INSIDE THE PARK HOME RUN TO START THE SERIES BANG pic.twitter.com/NqTrwLoyF0

— Reno Aces (@Aces) July 1, 2026

Both teams answered the call when the other would score in the July 1 contest between the Aces and Rainiers, but a two-run sixth failed to hold for Reno as it was Tacoma that snatched a slim 5-4 win at Cheney Stadium.

Jose Fernandez totaled three hits in the game, the first of which was a solo home run that marked his second Triple-A big fly of the year. He fell just a triple shy of the cycle as he also singled in the fourth and later doubled in the eighth.

Though Reno put on at least one runner in each inning from the seventh through the ninth, the Aces could not capitalize and watched the game end in its 5-4 final.

Tyler Locklear also finished his night with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a run scored. Driving in a run each were Manuel Pena and Danny Serretti, both of whom had a double for their only knock.

Jose Fernandez game-tying BOMB 😳 pic.twitter.com/FXyoQiH66n

— Reno Aces (@Aces) July 2, 2026

Fernandez found a partner to do damage with on July 2, as he and A.J. Vukovich provided all the offense necessary on Wednesday with three RBI each. That, combined with a solid performance by the pitching staff, led the Aces to a complete 6-1 victory in game three of their series with the Rainiers.

Tyler Locklear tripled in the second, just the seventh in his career (all of which have come in the Minors) and the first since June 3, 2025 when he had one as a member of today’s opponent, Tacoma. He later represented the game’s first run on a single from Vukovich.

Southpaw Spencer Giesting kept Tacoma off the scoreboard for 1.1 frames, walking two in the process but eventually collecting his first win of the season. Reno’s offense provided support with three I the fifth thanks to a bases-loaded double from Fernandez, while Vukovich struck for two more on his fifth homer of the year in the top of the ninth.

While Giesting had a solid outing, the win was not secured without the bullpen’s back end. Not forgotten was the trio of Kade Strowd, Bernal, and Gerardo Carrillo, each of which worked run-free innings without allowing a single hit (one walk from Strowd).

Yeah, I don't think cutter middle-in was the play there...

A.J. Vukovich goes BIG fly to the opposite field 🚀 pic.twitter.com/wi5O1Ms75v

— Reno Aces (@Aces) July 3, 2026

The Aces jumped out to an early lead and led by six runs through six innings on July 3 before needing to hold off a late Tacoma rally on their way to a 6-4 victory at Cheney Stadium.

Reno starter Kohl Drake turned in one of his best starts of the season with five scoreless frames while allowing just one hit. After striking out the side in the first frame of the contest, he finished his outing with six punchouts and no walks to snatch his second victory of 2026.

Manuel Peña’s first career Triple-A home run broke the scoreless tie in the second, taking a 1-1 slider over the right field wall for a two-run shot. The homer registered at 104.4 mph exit velocity and project 433 feet giving the Aces a quick 2-0 lead over Tacoma.

By game’s end the Aces had crushed three dingers as Angel Ortiz added the fourth of his Reno career in the third, while Tim Tawa launched his seventh during the top of the seventh to push Reno’s lead to 6-0.

That was the fourth time this season that the Aces have hit three home runs in a game, but the first time in those four instances in which they came away with the victory.

Fireworks before the 4th of July 🎆

Manuel Pena CRUSHES his first Triple-A home run 433 ft 😳 pic.twitter.com/RXfBf04aKl

— Reno Aces (@Aces) July 4, 2026

Reno’s offense could not manage to get the bats going on July 4, tallying just four hits while suffering a 7-0 shutout defeat at Tacoma on Independence Day.

Leadoff man Ryan Waldschmidt recorded the first of those hits with a double to left field to start the game. Though a pair of walks in the inning would eventually load the bases, all three runners were stranded.

Pena (1-for-4), Fernandez (1-for-2, walk), and pinch hitter Aramis Garcia (1-for-1) were the only other Reno hitters to record a knock in the defeat.

Aces Shut Out in Tacoma Saturday Night, Look Forward to Finale

Full Story ⬇️ https://t.co/rHoBz7s1EL pic.twitter.com/tZNuVLCD4M

— Reno Aces (@Aces) July 5, 2026

A close contest nearly all the way through on July 5 was decided with one swing in the eighth inning when Waldschmidt doubled home a pair of runs to give the Aces a series victory over the Rainiers behind a 2-1 win.

Starting pitching was locked in on both sides from the jump, including Aces starter Mitch Bratt who for the fourth time this season and second time this series tossed four full scoreless innings. By his exit Bratt had punched out six batters without issuing a walk, his most in any of his scoreless outings and one off his season best of seven in Sacramento on May 8.

Both bullpens kept the line moving, including an impressive three full frames for the Aces from southpaw Spencer Giesting (2-1) as he punched out three of the 10 batters he faced for his second victory. Meanwhile, Gerardo Carrillo had heavy lifting to do by working the final five outs with two hits allowed and one strikeout for his fourth save of the season.

At the conclusion of Giesting’s three frames, Reno finally broke the game’s scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the top of the eighth. That was Reno’s first run since Friday night’s contest, as the Aces went two games worth of innings (18) without a run. Playing the hero was Waldschmidt, as his two-out, two-RBI double helped Reno withstand a late Tacoma run.

That secured the first series win for the Aces since they took four of six games from the Sugar Land Space Cowboys in Reno from April 28 through May 3.

Mitch Bratt's final line across two outings in Tacoma 🤯 pic.twitter.com/LBABye0S6m

— Reno Aces (@Aces) July 5, 2026

Bratt was the brightest of spots for the Aces last week as he started two of the six games and did not allow a run on six hits over eight innings, striking out nine with only two walks. The bullpen was also great, working to a 3-0 record while logging just a 2.10 ERA (six earned runs, 25.2 innings) with 22 strikeouts.

At the dish there was a trio of Aces that hit above the .300 line, though only two had three or more at-bat sin Tyler Locklear (.318) and Kristian Robinson (.313). The former of the two tallied a team-best seven knocks, one of which was his triple while drawing three walks. Meanwhile, Robinson homered once and drove in four while working three free passes.

Fernandez had the most RBI over the week with five while also totaling four extra-base hits of his six knocks, three doubles and one homer. Tawa matched Fernandez in RBI at five despite logging seven fewer at-bats, crushing two homers despite hitting just .200.

The Aces return to Reno next week as they prepare for a six-game series with the Round Rock Express, Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, beginning on Tuesday.