Aces End Set with Aviators on High Note Thanks to 6-4 Victory
RENO, Nev. – No stranger to close contests, the Reno Aces were locked in another tight one with the Las Vegas Aviators, but a pair of RBI from Jacob Amaya and Jack Hurley in the seventh pushed Reno to a 6-4 victory in the series finale. Sunday’s afternoon matinee saw
RENO, Nev. – No stranger to close contests, the Reno Aces were locked in another tight one with the Las Vegas Aviators, but a pair of RBI from Jacob Amaya and Jack Hurley in the seventh pushed Reno to a 6-4 victory in the series finale.
Sunday’s afternoon matinee saw the Aviators (11-10) score first with a single run in their opening sets of swings, but not long after the Aces (11-8) found a way to counter. Both runs were product of the long ball, as Henry Bolte lifted off in the first while Jacob Amaya matched in the third.
That trend continued in the fourth and fifth frames, as Las Vegas pushed home three runs in their half of the fourth while Reno was ready to match in the bottom of the fifth. Always a dangerous team with two retired in the inning, Tommy Troy ripped a two-out double to left field that Anderdson Rojas and Ryan Waldschmidt score, both of whom reached with a single.
Striking again for his second RBI of the contest was Amaya, as he was able to keep the inning alive and deliver a touch more insurance with an RBI single into center.
That allowed Amaya and Hurley to capitalize on the opportunities afforded to them, driving in the duo of Waldschmidt and LuJames Groover who had started the inning with consecutive singles.
Starter Mitch Bratt did not factor into the decision despite punching out three in three innings, allowing three runs on four hits with one walk. Reno’s bullpen was ready to rock in the finale, combining to allow only one run on four hits in six frames. Earning the win was Taylor Rashi (1-0), who went two full and struck out one with a hit allowed.
Eight of nine Aces had hits in the contest led by the three from Waldschmidt, who scored twice as part of a 3-for-5 effort. Amaya made the biggest contribution in terms of production, driving in three with a homer.
Now finished with their longest homestand of the season, the Aces will hit the road for six games in El Paso against the Chihuahuas beginning at 5:35 p.m. PT on Tuesday.