Reno blanks Las Vegas 3-0 for first shutout since June 2019

RENO, Nev. – Josh Green and the Reno Aces’ bullpen shut out the Las Vegas Aviators en route to the team’s 3-0 victory on Saturday at Greater Nevada Field.

The Aces’ starter Green dominated the Aviators’ lineup through his five shutout frames, allowing just five hits and fanning three. Through two starts, the right-hander has recorded a 0.83 ERA in his 11.0 innings of work

In the four innings of no-hit ball, Alex Powers, Sam Moll and Ryan Buchter combined for five strikeouts and just one walk. In nine games this season, Reno’s bullpen has allowed just 20 earned runs through 45.0 innings of relief, boasting a 4.00 ERA and 54 punchouts.

Stuart Fairchild belted his first career Triple-A home run against Vegas, joining Seth Beer and Drew Ellis as the only three Aces to smack their first dinger in the highest Minor League level this season.

Aces’ Green allowed a pair of runners on in each of the first two innings but worked out of trouble to strand all four runners on base.

Reno jumped out to a one-run lead in the bottom of the second. Drew Ellis painted a double down the third-base line to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a groundout to second. With two outs, Ellis raced home on a passed ball to score the first run of the game and give Reno a 1-0 advantage.

After a scoreless third and top of the fourth, Fairchild increased the Aces’ lead to two in the bottom half when he drilled a two-out solo shot to left.

In the top of the fifth, Reno’s middle infielders kept the shutout intact after Christian Lopes backhanded a grounder up the middle. The Aces’ second baseman made the flip to Juniel Querecuto at second, who ripped a throw over to Beer at first for the inning-ending double play.

The home team put another run on the board in the bottom half of the fifth. After back-to-back one-out singles from Ben DeLuzio and Querecuto put runners on first and third, Josh Reddick jumped on the first pitch and lined a low single to center and brought DeLuzio in to extend the lead, 3-0.

Both teams were held scoreless through the final two and a half innings with Ryan Buchter picking up his second save and tossing just eight pitches in his perfect ninth.

The Aces return to action at Greater Nevada Field on Sunday, taking on Las Vegas at 12:05 p.m. PT. Zach Lee will make his second start of 2021, facing off against Parker Brian Howard in game four of the series. Tomorrow’s game can be heard on renoaces.com or KPLY 630 AM locally with Zack Bayrouty on the call.