Vargas records 200th Aces RBI in 13-10 loss to Salt Lake

Aces homer four times in offensive outburst

September 17, 2021

RENO, Nev. – The Reno Aces dropped game one of a six-game series against the Salt Lake Bees tonight, 13-10. Ildemaro Vargas recorded his 200th RBI in an Aces uniform, becoming just the fourth player to reach the mark. Salt Lake struck first, scoring three in the top of the

RENO, Nev. – The Reno Aces dropped game one of a six-game series against the Salt Lake Bees tonight, 13-10. Ildemaro Vargas recorded his 200th RBI in an Aces uniform, becoming just the fourth player to reach the mark.

Salt Lake struck first, scoring three in the top of the first to take the early lead.

In the home half of the first frame, Reno answered with a leadoff homer by Alek Thomas to make it a 3-1 game. The homer was his third time this season leading off an inning with a long ball, despite hitting just five home runs total.

The Bees hung four more runs in the top of the second to make it 7-1.

Stuart Fairchild led off the bottom of the second with another leadoff blast, this one going 404 feet to left to cut the Bees lead to 7-2.

A two-run shot in the top of the third would make it a 9-2 Bees lead. Runs in the fourth and fifth would make it an 11-2 Bees lead before the Aces bats got going in the bottom of the fifth, to a tune of five runs on six hits.

The scoring got started with back-to-ack doubles by Thomas and Ildemaro Vargas, scoring Thomas to make it 11-3. Drew Ellis followed it up with his 17th homer of the season to score Vargas and make it an 11-5 deficit. Jose Herrera ended the scoring with a two-run single to score Jamie Ritchie and Juniel Querecuto, making it an 11-7 game.

Salt Lake scored twice in the top of the sixth, making it a 13-7 score.

Reno picked up one run in the bottom of the sixth, with Nick Heath scoring on an RBI ground out from Ildemaro Vargas. The RBI was Vargas’ 200th in an Aces uniform, just two behind Kevin Cron’s total of 202 and good for fourth-best in franchise history.

After a scoreless seventh, Reno scored in the eight off of another leadoff homer. This time, it was Herrera taking a ball deep to right field to make it a 13-9 game.

Fairchild doubled in the bottom of the ninth to score Ritchie and make it a 13-10 final.

Reno will look to bounce back tomorrow at 6:35 p.m. PT from Greater Nevada Field. Tickets are available now at RenoAces.com, or by texting TIXX to 21003. The game can be heard on KPLY 630AM or on RenoAces.com with Zack Bayrouty on the call.