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PCL Reno Aces

Aces Notes and Roster

June 4, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Reno Aces News Release


Back on track:

After losing back-to-back games to Tacoma, Reno jumped back on the winning track with its 10-7 victory over Sacramento on Thursday night. Zach Lee tossed 5.0 innings and allowed just two earned runs on seven hits to pick up his second win of the season.

Daulton Varsho had his best game of the season, going 4-for-5 at the dish with two runs scored and a pair of RBIs. Since his option to Reno, Varsho holds a 3-1 record from behind the plate.

Matt Lipka belted his first homer in an Aces uniform with his two-run shot in the second. It also marked his first in Triple-A in over two years since May 8, 2019, with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Josh VanMeter has at least one hit in each of his seven games since being optioned to the Aces on May 27. With his two base knocks in Thursday's game, the 26-year-old has recorded just one other multi-hit this season, coming against the Cincinnati Reds while with Arizona on April 11.

Seth Beer snapped a three-game drought without an RBI, putting forth a 3-for-5 performance at the plate with two RBIs and a pair of runs scored. Beer also roped two doubles for the third time this season, his first since May 9, against Salt Lake.

What is a River Cat?

Sacramento has lost four of its last five games. The River Cats almost dropped four straight to the Aviators had it not been for a walk-off solo homer from Braden Bishop in the series finale.

Reno holds a 5-2 record against Sacramento this season, outscoring the River Cats, 47-40.

Sacramento's Thairo Estrada did damage against Reno the first time around, batting .409 with a pair of home runs, seven runs scored and six RBIs. In Thursday's game, Estrada continued to batter the Aces' staff, racking up four hits in five at-bats with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.

Pitching relief:

Aces starters dropped from first to fifth in Triple-A West with an opposing .267 batting average while holding a third-best team ERA of 5.17 through 25 games.

Despite his rough outing on June 1 against Tacoma, Josh Green has emerged as the Aces' top starter, going 3-1 in four starts and boasting a 3.67 ERA and 16 strikeouts. The right-hander is also the only Aces pitcher to toss five or more innings in all of his starts this year.

The Aces' bullpen ranks second in saves with nine and third with a .248 batting average against.

Aguilar has been stellar out of the bullpen for Reno, going 3-0 in his Triple-A West-leading 12 appearances while striking out 13 batters in 10.2 innings. His 2.53 ERA sits in second among relievers with at least 10 appearances.

Sam Moll tossed a scoreless inning against Sacramento while striking out two. In 10.1 innings of work, the Aces' left-hander has allowed just three earned runs to boast a 2.61 ERA, sitting just behind Aguilar among the same relievers with 10 outings.

Second-half magic:

The Aces have stormed back in the second half of the contest in eight games this season, storming back to either tie the game or take a lead.

Reno toppled Tacoma with a pair of walk-off wins on May 28 and May 30. The Aces erased a four-run deficit to down Rainiers, 8-7, on a walk-off RBI single by Drew Ellis in the top of the 10th. Two days later, a walk-off, three-run homer by Bryan Holaday completed a five-run come-from-behind victory over the Rainiers, 7-6.

The Aces are the scariest team after the sixth frame, leading all of Triple-A with a .314 batting average and 64 runs scored to go along with 20 doubles.

Reno has fallen from its top spot in the league to third with its .298 batting average when trailing, while also scoring 63 runs after being down in a game.

On the flip side, the team remains atop Triple-A West when ahead in batting average (.318) and doubles (32). The Aces also rank second in runs (81) and hits (115).

Locked and loaded:

The Aces' bats have been stellar to start the 2021 campaign, registering a Triple-A West-leading 54 doubles and 172 runs scored through 25 games.

The team also ranks second in the division with 258 hits and nine triples, while outscoring their opponents, 172-144.

Five current players have recorded at least 18 base knocks, while only two, Seth Beer and Drew Ellis, have registered 10 or more extra-base hits.

Beer leads the team with 26 hits while he also ranks second in Triple-A West with 10 doubles.

Blake Lalli's squad has boasted a 17-8 record through the first 25 games, holding the best record in franchise history over that span.

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