Reno to square off with Las Vegas on the road

SUMMERLIN, Nev. – The Reno Aces will look to bounce back after a tough loss to Sacramento as the team heads to Summerlin for a six-game set with the Las Vegas Aviators, beginning tonight at 7:05 p.m. PT, from Las Vegas Ballpark.

The Aces enter the series with one of the top records in Triple-A West, boasting a 19-11 mark through the first quarter of the season and matching the franchise record set by the 2011 squad.

Reno’s bats have been stellar to start the 2021 campaign, registering a Minor League Baseball-leading .287 batting average and 306 hits (tied with Sacramento) while sitting in a deadlock for third with 202 runs.

In eight of the team’s 30 contests, the Aces have stormed back to tie the game and erased a deficit of three runs or more. The Biggest Little City’s team holds a 6-2 record in those contests.

The Aces lead all professional baseball in the ninth inning with a .354 batting average and rank second with 30 runs scored, trailing just the Tampa Bay Rays with 31.

Three active players have recorded at least 20 base knocks, while only two, Seth Beer and Drew Ellis, have registered 10 or more extra-base hits. Beer leads the team with 31 hits, including a Triple-A West-leading 13 doubles and third-best 16 extra-base hits.

Jamie Ritchie sits atop the Triple-A leaderboard with his .413 batting average and .549 on-base percentage. Against the River Cats on June 6-7, the 28-year-old reached base safely in 10-straight plate appearances, setting a season-high mark for the Aces.

Las Vegas enters the six-day series on a three-game winning streak, downing the Albuquerque Isotopes by a combined score of 25-20.

The Aviators’ Austin Allen and Frank Schwindel have been heating up in the home team’s lineup over the last few games. Allen posted his best series of the season, putting forth a 9-for-17 showing with three home runs and five RBIs against the Isotopes. Schwindel launched three home runs in the final two games against Albuquerque, totaling four RBIs along the way.

In the last meeting against the Aviators, the Aces racked up 18 runs at Greater Nevada Field, featuring a franchise-first with grand slams from Renae Martinez and Jamie Ritchie in the series finale on May 18.

In six starts against Las Vegas, Drew Ellis leads all current players with a .318 batting average and seven hits while boasting a trio of RBIs.

Henry Ramos has smacked 23 career hits versus the Aviators, belting five homers and driving in 11 RBIs in 88 at-bats. Andrew Young (13) and Christian Lopes (10) have also recorded double-digit hits against the host squad while also holding the top career batting averages versus Las Vegas with .371 and .385, respectively.

Tonight’s game can be heard on renoaces.com or locally on KPLY 630 AM with Zack Bayrouty on the call as Corbin Martin takes the mound for the Aces.