Reno Scores Early but Fails to Keep Pace with Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS – For the second night in a row and fourth time in the past six games the Reno Aces reached double-digit runs, but even a five-run first inning could not keep up with the Las Vegas Aviators in a 21-10 defeat at Las Vegas Ballpark on Saturday. The
LAS VEGAS – For the second night in a row and fourth time in the past six games the Reno Aces reached double-digit runs, but even a five-run first inning could not keep up with the Las Vegas Aviators in a 21-10 defeat at Las Vegas Ballpark on Saturday.
The Aces (28-34) started the game with a five-spot in their opening set of at-bats, which included a bases loaded walk, an Andrew Velazquez three-run triple, and an Anderdson Rojas RBI single. That lead was the only one Reno would hold in the contest, as the Aviators (35-25) quickly got to work by scoring 19 straight runs.
Las Vegas scored five times in each of the first three innings and then added four more in the fourth to build a comfortable lead. Even when the Aces added three more runs in the fifth on RBI groundouts grom Rojas and Kristian Robinson and a Tim Tawa RBI double, the Aviators scored twice more in the sixth to reach their final mark of 21.
Reno continued to battle through the end, including a solo home run to lead off the eighth from Tawa. Meanwhile, Velazquez earned his fourth RBI of the night with a double to left field later in the frame with two outs.
Tawa has been on fire at the dish since joining the Aces at the early part of the week, as he was 4-for-6 with two runs scored, two doubles, a homer, and two RBI on the night. Also logging four hits was Velazquez, who ended 4-for-5 and was a home run shy of the cycle while logging two runs scored.
It was a rough second outing with the Aces this season for starter Roman Angelo, who checked out after just 0.2 innings and five runs allowed on four hits and four walks. However, it was the recently transferred Logan Mercado (0-1) who suffered the loss in his first Triple-A action of the season, yielding nine runs on six hits in 1.2 innings with two walks and strikeouts each.
This was easily a new season high for runs allowed and marked just the fourth time in franchise history that the Aces have allowed 21 runs or more in the same game. The last time they did so was Aug. 28, 2025 when the Sacramento River Cats also scored 21 in a 21-7 defeat of the Aces in Reno. However, it fell just one shy of matching the franchise record for runs allowed in a game.
Down 3-2 in the series, the Aces will look to leave Las Vegas with a series split when the two teams line up for the finale on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. PT.