Reno Dominates Albuquerque for Second Shutout of Series
PCL Reno Aces

Reno Dominates Albuquerque for Second Shutout of Series

Published on April 3, 2026 under Pacific Coast League (PCL)
Reno Aces News Release


ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Eight runs over the middle frames contained all the game's scoring, but not all the game's offense as the Reno Aces logged 18 total hits while the pitching staff earned their second shutout after a stellar rehab start by Merrill Kelly, all leading to an 8-0 win over the Albuquerque Isotopes on Friday.

The contest started in similar fashion to each of the first three games, as the game remained scoreless through the first four frames. Part of that was due to Kelly (1-0), who was making his first outing of the year in rehab fashion as he prepares to return to Arizona. Reno (4-3) benefitted tonight as Kelly faced just four batters over the minimum, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out two.

Albuquerque (2-5) went with a bullpen game, and the first two pitchers worked in tandem to allow five hits and three walks but no runs until the fifth. All of the damage in the inning came with two outs, started by a walk to Luken Baker, already his second of the game. A trio of singles followed, one of which was a two-RBI single by Jacob Amaya while Jack Hurley drove in one of his own.

Offense kept rolling in the sixth as a trio of consecutive singles from the top of the lineup in Ryan Waldschmidt, Tommy Troy and LuJames Groover all singled their way aboard. Following a sacrifice fly from Baker, Reno's 2025 home run leader A.J. Vukovich went back to his old tricks and lifted a 1-0 pitch into the wind and watched it sail over the wall in right field.

One final insurance tally scored in the seventh, as the Aces yet again produced three hits to move a runner all the way around, with Jean Walters ultimately scoring on a Groover single into right. That was one of four hits on the night for Groover, the first Reno Ace in the young season to tally multiple four-hit games.

The Reno bullpen was back on their A-game, combining on four separate scoreless innings while allowing only four total base runners. First among them was John Curtiss, who was making his Reno season debut and struck out one with one hit allowed. Following was Philip Abner (one hit), Kade Strowd (one walk, one hit), and Juan Burgos (one walk, one hit).

That effort helped secure the second shutout win of the series for the Aces, the first time they have accomplished that feat since they blanked Round Rock twice in Texas on July 27 and July 29, 2018. The 8-0 final also represented Reno's largest shutout win since they also dropped the Las Vegas Aviators by an 8-0 final at home on Sept. 14, 2025.

It was a hit parade for the Aces, who put at least two runners aboard in all nine innings and ended the game with 18 total hits. The last time they reached that mark was when they pounded out 19 knocks at home last season on July 6, 2025 against Sacramento.

Out of the 18 hits, only two went for extra bases in the Vukovich home run and an Aramis Garcia double in the top of the eighth. The last and only time in franchise history that the Aces have tallied 18 or more hits with two or less going for extra bases was on April 6, 2017 in a 13-6 win on the road at Fresno.

Though he did not record a hit in the game after officially going 0-for-1, Baker still reached base four times via the free pass, earned an RBI and scored a run. The last Reno Ace to earn four walks in a game was Grae Kessinger on April 8, 2025, as he worked five free passes in the contest which also happened to match the franchise record.

With tonight's victory, the third of the series, the Aces have clinched at least a split of this six-game set. Reno will go for the series win when the two teams meet for game five on Saturday at 5:35 p.m. PT.

-ACES-

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Pacific Coast League Stories from April 3, 2026


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