Reno Claims Third Straight Win Behind First Walk-Off of 2026

RENO, Nev. – After watching the Sugar Land Space Cowboys tie the game with a run in the top of the ninth, the Reno Aces remained composed and pushed home one final run on a LuJames Groover knock in the bottom of the ninth to snatch Reno’s first walk-off win of 2026 behind a 4-3 final.

It seemed as if the Aces (16-15) were going to pull out an identical 3-2 victory after a clutch double from Luken Baker. Sitting in a full count with two outs, Baker broke his bat clean in half as he flicked a double down the left-field line to drive home both Ryan Waldschmidt and Groover.

Baker has been one of the best offensive threats this series for Reno, as he entered today’s game a combined 5-for-11 (.455) with a triple and two RBI.

The Aces were just one out away from clinching the victory in the top of the ninth, but consecutive two-out hits from Riley Unroe and Kellen Strahm tied the contest at 3-3 and kept the Space Cowboys (16-15) alive.

Starting with the heart of the order in the home half of the ninth, Waldschmidt broke an 0-for-13 hitless streak with a ground rule double to right field, setting up Groover to play the hero. In a 2-2 count, one of the most clutch hitters on Reno delivered their first walk-off win of the season by lining a single into the right-center gap to send the home crowd away happy.

Both teams crushed a solo home run for their first tally of the night, with the Aces starting the trend on a solo homer from Matt O’Neill in the home half of the second. That represented O’Neill’s third homer of the season, tying him for second on Reno.

However, the brief lead was short-lived as Kellen Strahm returned the favor for the Space Cowboys just a half inning later in the top of the third on his second of the season.

That tied score held until the top of the sixth when a Jax Biggers leadoff single came around to score on an RBI groundout from Collin Price.

Starter Mitch Bratt yielded only one run on three hits in five full innings, striking out six batters without a walk to set his new Triple-A career best. Tonight’s effort made Bratt the first Ace starter this season to finish a game with six strikeouts and no walks, and the first to do so since Tommy Henry did so on May 28, 2025 at Round Rock.

Reno’s bullpen had struck out four in a row and were looking for a fifth when the game’s tying run was scored in the ninth. Even still, Aces relievers combined to work four innings and allowed two runs on four hits with five strikeouts.

Despite a blown save, Kade Strowd (2-0) earned his second win after he punched out two without a walk.

Two Aces had multiple hits in the game including O’Neill, who was 2-for-4 with a triple and homer. The triple was his second of the year and Reno’s 17th as a team, putting them on pace for 82 by the end of the season.

The other of that duo was Groover as he went 3-for-5 with the game-winning RBI and a double.

The victory tonight was the third in a row for Reno over Sugar Land, and the Aces will look to clinch a series win when the two teams meet for game five on Saturday at 6:05 p.m. PT from Greater Nevada Field.