Reno falls to Las Vegas, 6-3

SUMMERLIN, Nev. – The Reno Aces suffered its fifth-straight loss with a 6-2 defeat to the Las Vegas Aviators on Thursday night.

With tonight’s loss, the Aces move three games behind the Tacoma Rainiers for the top spot in Triple-A West.

Jake Hager’s tally in the final frame marked the 400th of his career in Minor League Baseball.

Ildemaro Vargas and Stuart Fairchild recorded at least two hits in the game for the 22nd and 11th time this season, respectively.

After Las Vegas’ Pete Kozma smacked a solo home run in the opening frame to take a 1-0 lead, Reno quickly responded in the top of the second. Fairchild snapped a 0-for-7 drought since returning to the Aces with a single through the left side before swiping second. Two batters later, Christian Lopes laced a 1-0 pitch to right, bringing Fairchild around to score and knotting the game at one.

Juniel Querecuto also singled in the second inning, jumping out to a three-game hitting streak.

The Aviators took a two-run advantage in the bottom of the third, 3-1, on back-to-back RBI singles by Carlos Perez and Francisco Pena.

In the top of the fourth, Reno threatened with the bases loaded following a leadoff single by Cooper Hummel, an error by Kozma allowing Jamie Ritchie to reach on a fielder’s choice and Lopes earning first after getting plunked. Las Vegas halted the Aces’ opportunity and remained ahead by two.

The home squad tacked on a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth on an Aces’ miscue, giving the Aviators a four-run edge, 5-1.

Vargas slashed Las Vegas’ lead to three, 5-2, in the top of the fifth on an RBI double that brought Jose Herrera around to score from first.

The Aces chased Aviators’ starter, Brian Howard, with two outs in the sixth after loading the bases for the second time in three innings. Fairchild singled to start the frame before Querecuto and Herrera worked back-to-back two-out walks. Once again, Las Vegas escaped unscathed and held Reno off the board.

The team from Summerlin jumped back out to a four-run lead, 6-2, after capitalizing on another set of Reno miscues in the sixth.

Both teams were held off the board in the seventh and eighth inning until Blake Lalli’s club threatened in the ninth.

Aces’ Hager jumped out to a three-game hit streak with a leadoff double. After Reno’s shortstop moved to third on a groundout, Vargas beat out an infield single to drive in the Biggest Little City team’s third run of the game and slashed the Aviators lead in half, 6-3. Reno brought the tying run to the dish but, Las Vegas shut the door to take game one.

The Aces will return to Las Vegas Ballpark for Friday’s contest against the Aviators with first pitch slated for 7:05 p.m. PT. Friday’s contest can be heard on renoaces.com or locally on KPLY 630 AM with Zack Bayrouty on the call.