Reno Captures First Home Series Win of 2026 Behind 8-3 Defeat of Salt Lake

RENO, Nev. – One of the best teams when it comes to scoring late in games, the Reno Aces showed that strength yet again by combining for six runs between the fifth and seventh frames to help them win their first series of the year behind an 8-3 win over the Salt Lake Bees on Saturday.

The Aces (9-5) hit the scoreboard in the home half of the first using a pair of sacrifice flies from LuJames Groover and Kristian Robinson. However, the Bees (4-10) drew level with two runs of their own in the top half of the third.

That 2-2 tie held until the home half of the fifth when Reno started their run-scoring streak. An error following a sacrifice bunt from Ryan Waldschmidt pushed across the first run, while the Aces doubled their lead in the sixth with an Ivan Melendez that scored Robinson.

Four insurance tallies crossed the plate in the seventh, all doing so thanks to a pair of two-run homers. After a Jean Walters walk, Waldschmidt kept up his hot start in Triple-A with his second homer of the year out to center.

A walk to Anderdson Rojas set the stage for Tommy Troy, who delivered the longest Reno home run of the year by crushing a 1-2 offering from Hunter Strickland a whopping 462 feet. Not only is that the longest Aces homer in 2026, but it is also the longest home run in the Pacific Coast League this season.

Aside from the offense, it was 2.1 scoreless innings from Yilber Díaz (2-0) that was able to right the ship for the Aces, leading to his second win of the year. He faced just one batter over the minimum, waling one with four strikeouts.

Starter Yu-Min Lin did not factor into the decision, as he allowed two runs on two hits in 2.2 innings. However, he walked six batters for a second straight outing, which is his career high.

Once more there were five total Aces to record multiple hits, but none more than the 3-for-3 effort with two runs scored, a double and a walk from Walters. Behind him was Waldschmidt and Troy who were each 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI, though the former scored twice compared to just one run scored for the latter.

Just one game remains in this series, and the two teams will play the set finale from Greater Nevada Field on Sunday beginning at 1:05 p.m. PT.