Aces Notes
July 17, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Reno Aces News Release
First pitch from Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark is set for 5:05 p.m. PT
Quack, Quack, Quack, Mr. Quackenbush:
The Reno Aces forced Oklahoma City Dodgers' closer Kevin Quackenbush to allow his first earned run of the year in the top of the ninth, knocking off the host club, 4-3, on Friday.
The Aces moved to 14-5 on the year in one-run games while scoring their 47th run in the ninth to tie the Houston Astros for the lead in all of professional baseball.
Reno picked up its first win in Oklahoma City since Aug. 11, 2019, when they downed the Dodgers, 10-2.
Ramos extended his hitting streak to six with his 2-for-4 performance on Friday night. During his six-game stretch, the Aces' outfielder has yet to record an extra-base hit, smacking 12 singles since July 10. It also marks the fifth multi-hit game in six contests for the 29-year-old.
Tyler Gilbert became just the 10th Aces' starter to toss at least six innings this season, going six against the Dodgers and allowing just one run on seven hits with four strikeouts. The right-hander also hurled his second-straight six-inning game with exactly four punchouts en route to his no-decision outing on Friday. Reno moved to 8-2 in contests their starter gets through the sixth frame.
Quite the Ducktale:
Miguel Aguilar has been lights out in July, converting on all seven of his save opportunities and allowing just one earned run on four hits for a 1.13 ERA in eight innings of work. The Aces' closer has also struck out nine batters and the opposition is hitting a measly .154 against him.
Aguilar has yet to allow a hit with the bases loaded and has held his opponents to a .203 batting average with runners on base.
In his first appearance against the Dodgers this season, Aguilar tossed a perfect ninth with a pair of strikeouts to pick up his 12th save of the season.
The Aces' closer tied Matt Stites (2014) and Jimmie Sherfy twice (2016, 19) for eighth place in franchise history for the single-season saves record with 12. Aguilar is one save away from tying Bobby Korecky (2009) and Carlos Rosa for fifth all-time in a single campaign.
Crackin' the Quacken and Company:
Despite giving up his first earned run of the season, Kevin Quackenbush leads the MiLB with 14 saves this season and boasts a 0.36 ERA, 27 strikeouts and a .193 opposing batting average in 25 appearances.
Five of the Dodgers' top 30 prospects have been featured in the week's matchup, including No. 1 Keibert Ruiz and No. 2 Josiah Gray. In 42 contests, the Dodgers' catcher is batting .285 with 32 runs scored and 34 RBIs to go along with 25 extra-base hits.
Gray has put forth a 1-1 record with a 2.87 ERA and 22 strikeouts in four appearances. Gray picked up the win in the series opener, going 4.2 innings out of the bullpen in relief of Justin Bruihl. and striking out seven batters.
The Dodgers' pitching staff has boasted a third-best ERA of 5.09 in Triple-A West while opponents are hitting just .263 against them. Aaron Wilkerson will make his first start against the Aces since June 6, 2019, when he picked up the win with San Antonio, surrendering just two runs on five hits while striking out seven batters in five innings of work.
Aces Fly Together:
The Aces continue to assert their dominance late in games, scoring half of their runs in the seventh inning or later on Friday night. Blake Lalli's club leads Triple-A with a .316 batting average, 172 runs, 228 hits, 37 home runs and 42 doubles after the sixth inning.
With its Minor League-leading 172 tallies and .316 batting average after the sixth frame, the Biggest Little City's team has 36 more runs than second-best Carolina with 146 and 35 points better than Quad City and Tampa with a .281 mark.
Reno paces all of Minor League Baseball when trailing with a .310 batting average, 178 runs scored and 261 hits.
In the eighth inning alone, the Aces are batting .324 with a MiLB-leading 66 runs scored.
Lalli's squad reclaimed its spot atop professional baseball alongside the Houston Astros with 47 runs scored in the ninth inning. Reno boasts a second-best .330 batting average, trailing only Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (.331).
The Aces sit in a tie with the Sacramento River Cats for the highest batting average in all of professional baseball with a .293 mark.
Ellis' 19 doubles rank just behind his fellow corner infielder and league leader, Beer (21), good for third in Triple-A. The Aces' third baseman slid into a three-way tie for fourth in Triple-A West with 31 extra-base hits. In games that Ellis hits a home run, Reno holds a 6-4 record.
Jamie Ritchie continues to rake at the plate, ranking second in Triple-A West with a .361 batting average and a division-leading .486 on-base percentage.
The Aces have been dominant in the second half of contests, boasting a 10-4 record in games they come back to tie the game by a deficit of three or more runs.
Pacific Coast League Stories from July 17, 2021
- Salt Lake Buzzes Past Tacoma on Saturday Night - Tacoma Rainiers
- Late Comeback Sends Skeeters to Loss in Albuquerque - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Students, Teachers Celebrate Stem Achievements at OKC Dodgers MVP Field Day - Oklahoma City Comets
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - July 17, 2021 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Aces Notes - Reno Aces
- Marsh, Lund Homer in Bees Loss - Salt Lake Bees
- Pérez Homers Twice, Aviators Score Late to Top El Paso 9-5 - Las Vegas Aviators
- Big Innings Lift Express to 9-6 Victory over River Cats - Round Rock Express
- Bishop, Johnson homer in walk-filled defeat - Sacramento River Cats
- Eighth Inning Rut Sinks Chihuahuas - El Paso Chihuahuas
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