
Aces Notes
September 20, 2021 - Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Reno Aces News Release
First pitch from Greater Nevada Field is slated for 6:35 p.m. PT.
No Strings Attached:
- The Aces picked up their third-straight win over Salt Lake with a 10-7 victory on Sunday.
- Drew Ellis reached base safely in his last 23 games with the Aces since July 10, putting forth a 2-for-5 performance with a pair of RBI and two runs scored. Since his return on Sept. 10, the Aces' third baseman is slashing .333/.442/.861 with four doubles, five home runs, 14 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
- Despite seeing his four-game home run streak come to an end, Alek Thomas continued to prove why he is ranked the No. 3 prospect in the Diamondbacks organization with a 3-for-5 showing. During his five-game hitting stretch, the 21-year-old has put forth a .455/.520/1.091 slash line with four RBIs and seven runs scored.
- Christian Lopes bumped his season-long hitting streak to seven games with his single in the opening frame. Over that stretch, the Aces' infielder has put forth an 11-for-29 showing at the dish with a .379/.419/.621 slash line. Lopes has racked up four doubles, a home run, eight RBIs and a trio of runs scored. He reached 300 hits at the Triple-A level after his 2-for-5 performance against Salt Lake.
- Cooper Hummel heads into Sunday's contest with at least two hits in eight consecutive contests following his 2-for-3 performance with two runs tallies. During his eight-game stretch, the Aces' utilityman is slashing .545/.564/.848 with 11 RBIs and 10 runs on 18 hits. In 14 appearances this month, Hummel has put forth a .500/.525/.827 slash line with four homers, five doubles, 19 RBIs and 17 runs scored.
On the Line:
- Juniel Querecuto earned Triple-A West Player of the Week by MiLB.com after a stellar week at the dish. Since Sept. 13, the veteran infielder put forth a 12-for-26 showing with a .462/.500/.846 slash line. He registered a pair of doubles, two home runs, 10 RBIs and 10 runs scored in his six starts.
- The 29-year-old increased his hitting streak to a season-high 12 contests, his run-scoring stretch to five games and his RBI streak to three contests with a three-run homer in the opening frame. Over the last 12-game stretch, the Aces' top hitter is slashing .417/.463/.792 while going 20-for-48 with nine extra-base hits, 15 RBIs and 16 runs scored.
- In his 12 starts since Sept. 6, Querecuto has recorded seven multi-hit games, including a current five-contest streak. He also has registered four games with two or more RBIs and five multi-run contests. The reigning Triple-A Player of the Week also rides a three-game tally streak into tonight's matchup.
- Querecuto, with the Aces alone, has recorded 293 base knocks in his three seasons, ranking seventh all-time behind Mike Freeman with 301. The Aces' infielder reached 900 hits in his MiLB career and 100 extra-base hits in Triple-A with his performance on Saturday. With eight more base knocks, he will reach the 400-hit plateau in MiLB's highest level.
Trouble with the Curve:
- Justin Vernia will make his second start and third appearance with the Aces since starting his professional career. He made his Triple-A debut against Salt Lake on May 13, 2019, before facing Tacoma on May 19, 2019, allowing at least five runs in both contests. In two starts this month with Hillsboro, Vernia is boasting a 1-0 record with a 1.29 ERA and nine strikeouts in seven innings.
- Ryan Smith will face Reno for the first time in his career and make his third start since being called up on Sept. 4. The right-hander has played in four levels this season, making appearances for Single-A Inland Empire, HIgh-A Triboro, Double-A Rocket City and Triple-A Salt Lake. In his 21 appearances this season, Smith holds a 7-7 record with a 4.19 ERA and 142 strikeouts across 116.0 innings of work.
In Time:
- Ryan Weiss picked up his fourth win with the Aces on Friday after hurling two scoreless innings of work with four strikeouts. The right-hander has put forth a stellar 10-game stretch, boasting a 1.76 ERA while allowing just three runs on 10 hits with 22 punchouts. The opposition is batting .189 over 15.1 innings of work against Weiss.
- Jesus Liranzo tossed his third-straight blank performance out of the bullpen with a two-inning save on Saturday. His scoreless outing marks the 10th scoreless relief appearance since Aug. 1. In his 13 outings since the start of August, the Aces' reliever has registered 20 strikeouts and a 1.98 ERA in 13.2 innings of work. Liranzo reached 300 career frames with his performance on Saturday.
- Taylor Clarke has looked sharp in his six appearances with Reno this season, striking out six batters and allowing just one unearned run on four hits in six innings of work. The Aces' reliever has held his opponent to a .222 batting average over the six-game stretch.
Bringin' da Noise:
- Reno leads all of professional baseball with a .293 batting average, .516 slugging percentage, .889 on-base plus slugging percentage and 823 runs scored. The team from Northern Nevada is one of two MiLB teams with at least 800 tallies (Rancho Cucamonga, 810). The Biggest Little City's squad has recorded a MiLB-leading 1201 hits, leading Las Vegas by 55 hits (1146). The Aces are tied or out-hitting 18 of the 32 MLB teams (8 AL, 10 NL), including Arizona, in 30 fewer games.
- Blake Lalli's club paces Triple-A with a .311/.392/.534 slash line, 289 runs scored, 406 hits, 63 home runs, 77 doubles and 13 triples after the sixth frame.
- The Aces have mounted 21 comebacks this season, boasting a 14-7 record in contests it erases a deficit of three or more runs to tie the game.
Pacific Coast League Stories from September 20, 2021
- Gloves Help Tacoma over El Paso - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Gloves Help Tacoma over El Paso - El Paso Chihuahuas
- Rainiers Muzzle Chihuahuas 7-2 on Monday - Tacoma Rainiers
- Round Rock Pounds Dodgers - Oklahoma City Comets
- Express Pitching Staff Derails Dodgers in 10-1 Victory - Round Rock Express
- Peña and Matijevic Power Skeeters to Victory - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Skeeters Clip Isotopes with Pair of Home Runs Monday - Albuquerque Isotopes
- Aces Notes - Reno Aces
- Korey Lee and Pedro León Assigned to Skeeters - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Rangers RHP Matt Bush Joins Express on Major League Rehab - Round Rock Express
- OKC Dodgers Game Notes - September 20, 2021 - Oklahoma City Comets
- Juniel Querecuto Named Triple-A West Player of the Week - Reno Aces
- Jonathan Bermudez Named Triple A West Pitcher of the Week - Sugar Land Space Cowboys
- Longballs Not Enough in Reno - Salt Lake Bees
- Bees Drop Slugfest - Salt Lake Bees
- Chihuahuas Snap Skid - El Paso Chihuahuas
- El Paso Halts Season-Long Tacoma Win Streak at Seven in Championship Encore - Tacoma Rainiers
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
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