Aces Open July Slate with Six-Game Showdown Against the River Cats

RENO, Nev. – Following a series split with the Salt Lake Bees, the Reno Aces (3-3, 40-41) will kick off a six-game set against the Sacramento River Cats (2-4, 38-43), the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. The BLC-Nine will travel to Sacramento for the first three games at Sutter Health Park before returning to Greater Nevada Field on July 4 to finish the series.

Reno previously traveled to Sacramento earlier this season and came away with a series win, taking four of six from the River Cats. While the offense wasn’t at their best, the Aces’ pitching staff dominated, posting a 2.65 ERA and holding Sacramento to just 16 runs across 54 1/3 innings. Reno pitchers struck out 68 and issued only 18 walks in the series.

Sacramento enters this matchup coming off a series loss to the Oklahoma City Comets, having dropped four of six games during a homestand. The River Cats own a 2-4 record in the second half, tied with the Tacoma Rainiers for the second-worst mark in the Pacific Coast League.

Notable players on Sacramento’s roster include left-hander Carson Whisenhunt and outfielder Grant McCray.

Whisenhunt, the Giants’ No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has been a steady presence in the PCL this season. The talented southpaw is 7-5 with a 4.55 ERA, racking up 79 strikeouts and 25 walks over 89.0 innings. He was sharp in his last outing against Reno, tossing seven strong innings with two earned runs and seven strikeouts without issuing a walk. Though he struggled at times in June, Whisenhunt flashed elite potential in May, going 4-1 with a 2.56 ERA across 38 2/3 innings. He’ll look to open July on a high note against the Aces.

McCray, a 2019 third-round pick, has been Sacramento’s most consistent bat in an otherwise underwhelming offense. The 24-year-old is slashing .252/.318/.421 with 15 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, and 49 RBI this season. He’s in a bit of a slump, managing just one hit in six games against Oklahoma City last week, but has historically hit well against Reno. Over the last two seasons, McCray has torched Aces pitching, going 22-for-68 (.324) with six doubles, a home run, and six RBI in 16 games last year. He added a double, a home run, and three RBI in the team's first series this season. The Aces will look to contain him this week and take advantage of his recent struggles.

AJ VUKOVICH JUST TURNED THIS GAME ON ITS HEAD AND HIT OUR SECOND GRAND SLAM IN AS MANY DAYS pic.twitter.com/0k9y28ir25

— Reno Aces (@Aces) May 1, 2025

Jorge Barrosa has continued his red-hot stretch at the plate. The dynamic switch-hitter enters July on a 22-game hitting streak, during which he’s gone 38-for-97 (.392) with six doubles, a triple, three round trippers, and 22 RBI. He stayed hot against the Bees last week, collecting 11 hits—including a double and a home run—along with six RBI.

While the Aces’ offense was largely quiet in their last meeting with Sacramento, AJ Vukovich was a major bright spot. The outfielder went 6-for-22 (.273) with a double, three home runs and nine RBI, highlighted by a three-hit, seven-RBI performance. After a rough start to June, Vukovich appears to be finding his rhythm again, going 7-for-23 (.304) with two doubles, a triple, a homer, and six RBI in last week’s series against Salt Lake. He’ll look to stay hot against the River Cats.

The Aces return home to open the second half of the series on July 4, with first pitch at 6:35 p.m. PST at Greater Nevada Field.

Single-game tickets for the Reno Aces’ 2025 season are on sale at RenoAces.com, the Greater Nevada Field Ticket Office, or by texting “TIXX” to 21003. Season Memberships are available via RenoAces.com, texting “MEMBER” to 21003, or calling (775) 334-7000.

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