Aces Finish the 2024 Season with Dominant Series vs Albuquerque

Reno, Nev. – The Reno Aces (44-30, 79-70) concluded their 2024 season in dominant fashion, taking five out of six games from the Albuquerque Isotopes (44-30, 58-92) this past week at Greater Nevada Field. Reno won five straight, falling in extras in Sunday’s season finale.

The Aces kicked off the week with a commanding 9-2 victory on Tuesday, featuring the return of Adrian Del Castillo, who smashed his 25^th home run of the year in his first game back from the big leagues. Logan Allen was lights out on the mound, allowing two runs across six clean innings, walking four, and striking out three. Tim Tawa stayed hot, launching his 10^th-round tripper and sixth of the month in the win.

Del Castillo kept it going into Wednesday’s 6-2 victory, roping his second home run in as many days. Jorge Barrosa lifted one out of the park as well, putting the Aces on the board with a three-run shot in the second inning. Tommy Henry performed well on the mound, surrendering four runs with three strikeouts in 6 2/3 frames. Following the win, the BLC-Nine tuned into the El Paso Chihuahuas and Las Vegas Aviators matchup as a Las Vegas loss would punch a ticket into the 2024 playoff for Reno. El Paso came through, taking down the Aviators in a 7-6 extra-inning win.

Reno made an incredible seventh-inning comeback in Thursday’s 5-3 victory. Down 2-0 late, the Aces put up four on the Isotopes after base knocks from Andrew Knizner, Jordan Lawlar, and Bryson Brigman. Humberto Castellanos was impressive on the mound, striking out eight Isotopes and limiting them to two runs in 5 2/3 innings of work.

Alek Thomas got in on the fun in Friday’s 6-2 win, smoking his second home run of the campaign to get the scoring started in the second. Michael Perez left the park as well, hitting seventh of the year in the sixth. Reno enjoyed a successful bullpen game led by Konnor Pilkington, who struck out eight out of 13 batters faced, allowing one hit and one walk in the first 3 2/3 frames. Jake Rice trailed the southpaw out of the pen, striking out five in 2 1/3 innings. Chris Rodriguez and Erich Uelmen finished the job in the later innings as the Aces finished the day striking out 14 Isotopes.

Sergio Alcantara played hero in Saturday’s unreal walk-off victory. Alcantara lifted his eighth-round tripper in the eleventh inning, giving the Aces their fifth straight win. Before Alcantara’s huge hit, Blaze Alexander came through in the eighth inning, tying the game after launching a clutch two-run shot into right field. Yu-Min Lin, the Diamondbacks #7 overall prospect, made his Triple-A debut, tossing 4 2/3 innings with three walks and two strikeouts in a solid outing. Tristin English stepped up for his team and took the mound in the extra-innings and was great, allowing two unearned runs without allowing a hit or a walk and collecting the win, the first of his career.

Sunday’s matchup may have ended in a loss, but the Aces still took away a win as Bryson Brigman collected three base hits, including a clutch RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to tie the ball game, to be crowned the 2024 Pacific Coast League batting champion. The San Diego product hit a league best .334 while launching nine home runs with 61 RBI in a break-out season.

Jorge Barrosa enjoyed a very productive series, going 8-for-18 (.444) with two home runs and eight RBI, including a pair of three RBI performances. It is encouraging to see the exciting switch-hitter start to turn it on at the plate, as he is slashing .276/.344/.421 with 11 RBI in September as the Aces enter the 2024 playoffs.

The Aces will kick off the Pacific Coast League Championship Series against the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, at Constellation Field on Tuesday, September 24. The first pitch is scheduled for 5:05 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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