Aces Debut Two Players in Weekend Series Win Over Las Vegas
RENO, Nev. – Following a restful All-Star break, the Reno Aces (7-8, 51-39) debuted a few new faces and earned their first series win of the second half by defeating their Silver State rivals, the Las Vegas Aviators (9-6, 43-46), Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, at Las Vegas Ballpark.
RENO, Nev. – Following a restful All-Star break, the Reno Aces (7-8, 51-39) debuted a few new faces and earned their first series win of the second half by defeating their Silver State rivals, the Las Vegas Aviators (9-6, 43-46), Triple-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, at Las Vegas Ballpark.
Following a rejuvenating four-day break, Reno rolled into Las Vegas with their bats ready. The Aces scored seven runs in the first three innings Friday night en route to a 7-3 victory. After a well-deserved stint in the majors, Dominic Fletcher returned to the lineup and immediately resumed his destruction. Fletcher tallied two hits, including a two-run homer in the third.
Fletcher crushed another gargantuan home run in the fifth inning of Sunday’s series finale, a two-run shot that gave the Aces a 2-0 lead. After mashing five homers in 101 games last season for Reno, Fletcher has already matched that total in 38 games in 2023. It’s been a remarkable year for one of the Diamondbacks’ most promising prospects.
Ryan Bliss made his Triple-A debut Friday after a borderline historic run at Double-A Amarillo, which earned him a spot in the 2023 Futures Game last week. Bliss hit .358 with a 1.008 OPS, 25 doubles, four triples, 12 homers, and 30 steals in 38 tries for the Sod Poodles. The 23-year-old infielder is enjoying a monstrous breakout season, sporting the highest batting average and OPS of his professional career.
Adrian Del Castillo selected 25 picks after Bliss in the second round of the 2021 draft and made his Triple-A debut this weekend. Del Castillo contributed 26 extra-base hits in 64 games for the Sod Poodles while drawing 40 walks, a remarkable rate of 15%. After a weekend trade, the Florida product replaced P.J. Higgins in the catching mix.
Before his promotion to Arizona, Kyle Lewis was 20 for his last 50 with six doubles, two homers, nine walks, and 14 runs driven in. The slugging outfielder crushed a two-run blast upon his return this weekend, carrying on right where he left off. Lewis has hit seven home runs in just 29 games for Reno this season and brings a thunderous, patient approach to the BLC Nine’s lineup.
Brandon Pfaadt waltzed into Sin City and shut down the Aviators in Sunday’s finale. Working with his plus fastball and an array of devastating secondaries, Pfaadt rolled through the Las Vegas order with eight strikeouts in 5 ⅔ fantastic, scoreless innings to help clinch the series win.
The Aces will head south next for a six-game series with the Round Rock Express, the Triple-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers. The set begins Tuesday at 5:05 p.m. PT from Dell Diamond.
Following a week in Texas, Reno will return to Greater Nevada Field on Tuesday, July 25th, as the Aces host the Pacific Coast League First-Half Champions, the Oklahoma City Dodgers, Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the first pitch set for 6:35 p.m. PT.
Single Game tickets are on sale at RenoAces.com, the Greater Nevada Field Ticket Office, or by texting “TIXX” to 21003. Season Memberships are available via RenoAces.com, texting “MEMBER” to 21003, or calling (775) 334-7000.
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