Hager, Reno offense come up Aces in rout

Not a single batter in Triple-A Reno's lineup went hitless on Thursday. And Jake Hager, well, he was just powerful perfection at the plate.

Keyed by the shortstop's five-hit, eight-RBI night, the Aces racked up a 24-2 victory over visiting Sugar Land. Reno ended up one run short of the franchise record for a single game, notched on May 20, 2019, against Tacoma.

Journeyman Hager has been no stranger to the five-hit game. The 30-year-old accomplished that three times before (in 2018 with Triple-A Colorado Springs, 2016 with Double-A Montgomery and 2012 with Class A Bowling Green). But the eight RBIs bested the career high he set in 2017 for Triple-A Durham by two and the six runs he scored also topped the professional best he recorded in 2012 for Bowling Green by two.

Hager's biggest clout of the night was his first homer of the season, a three-run homer to right-center field. He also lined a two-RBI single to center in the second, lined a single to center in the third, beat out a run-scoring single that careened off pitcher Shawn Dubin in the fourth and grounded a two-RBI single to right in the eighth.

In doing so, Hager tied the Reno record for RBIs in a single game, alongside Yasmány Tomas (2019), Cole Gillespie (2012) and Jeff Bailey (2010). He also became the first Aces player to collect five knocks in a game since Drew Ellis on Sept. 21, 2021.

But he wasn't the only one having a good day on the basepaths. P.J. Higgins lofted his third homer and crossed the plate five times, while Arizona's No. 20 prospect Dominic Canzone and Philip Evans each scored four runs and Diego Castillo added three.

Buddy Kennedy drove in four with a double, a single and a sacrifice fly. Higgins, Canzone, and Jorge Barrosa added a pair of RBIs apiece.

Reno scored in every inning but the first and seventh. The biggest frame was the second, when the Aces put a six-spot on the board. Not one extra-base hit was recorded that frame, showing you don't necessarily have to go yard to stack up a lot of runs in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.