Welcome to the 2024 Eighth Edition of Leading Off, the official publication of the Reno Aces Baseball Club. This season-long publication will release an updated edition before every homestand. Stay up-to-date with everything happening at Greater Nevada Field, and learn more about the opponent coming to town! Its logos and graphics are trademarks of the Reno Aces. All rights reserved—Aces photos provided by Aces Team Photographer David Calvert.
Coming off a remarkable series sweep against the Sacramento River Cats, the red-hot Reno Aces (11-1, 46-41) will host the Round Rock Express (6-6, 43-43) at Greater Nevada Field beginning on Tuesday, July 9, with the first pitch scheduled for 12:05 p.m. The BLC-Nine will carry a franchise-best 11-game winning streak, a testament to their recent dominance, into the six-game set.
The clubs previously played a six-game series at Dell Diamond, during which Round Rock took four out of six from Reno. The upcoming series will be the final time both squads will face each other this season.
Notable players on the Round Rock roster include RHP Jack Leiter and OF Sandro Fabian.
Leiter, the Ranger’s #5 overall prospect and first-round pick in 2021, was promoted to the big-league club for his second stint in MLB when the Aces last matched up with the Express. The right-hander allowed 10 runs across 5 2/3 innings with Texas before being sent back to AAA-Round Rock. Since his demotion, Leiter has cleaned it up, going 3-3 with a 4.38 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 32 2/3 frames. Notably, he tossed seven shutout frames against the River Cats in mid-June with a season-high eight punchouts. Reno will now get a look at the former #2 overall pick in the upcoming matchup.
In the previous series, Sandro Fabian emerged as an offensive threat after going 7-for-20 (.350) with five extra-base knocks, including two round-trippers and seven RBI. The outfielder currently leads his team in hits (82), batting average (.292), home runs (11), RBI (56), total bases (142), and OPS (.855). Fabian is coming off a three-hit, three-RBI performance in Sunday’s series finale vs. the Sugar Land Space Cowboys, which included a double and a home run. Reno must hold down the 26-year-old to continue their recently found second-half success.
Chris Ellis posted one of his better outings of the year against the Express. The right-hander helped Reno tally one of two wins in the previous series vs Round Rock, tossing seven innings of one-run ball with a season-high seven punchouts. Adrian Del Castillo smashed a 425-foot solo shot to give the BLC-Nine a 3-1 lead in the win.
Following outstanding performances at the plate and on the mound during the Reno Aces six-game sweep against the Sacramento River Cats, infielder Andres Chaparro and starting pitcher Yilber Diaz were named Pacific Coast League Player and Pitcher of the Week, as announced by Minor League Baseball on Monday.
Earning his first PCL Player of the Week honors for his career, Chaparro collected 15 hits in 24 at-bats (.625 batting average) with six extra-base hits, three home runs, and 15 RBI. The 25-year-old also tallied four multi-hit performances during the week, including a five-hit, five-RBI night in Tuesday's 10-7 win.
Throughout the week, he also came through in clutch situations as the 25-year-old gave the Aces their ninth and 10th-straight wins with walk-off base knocks on back-to-back nights on Friday and Saturday. However, his most significant moment came with the game on the line in Saturday's 7-6 win. Down 5-3 with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Chaparro smashed a three-run blast into left field to give the Aces a late lead.
Chaparro raised his batting average from .306 to .328 during the hot stretch, pushing himself to the top of the Pacific Coast League statistical rankings. He stands in second place in hits (102), batting average (.328), total bases (178), and OPS (.979) and third in RBI (68), SLG (.572), and extra-base hits (41).
In his fourth start with the Aces since his promotion on July 1 in Sacramento, Diaz's dominance on the mound against the River Cats was on full display as the 23-year-old tossed six no-hit innings, matching a franchise record 13 strikeouts, leading Reno to a 7-0 win.
The performance gave the six-foot right-hander a 28:9 strikeout-to-walk ratio while lifting his K/9 to 11.45 and lowering his ERA to a robust 3.27.
Before his promotion to Triple-A Reno, Diaz won the Texas League Pitcher of the Week, twice in May, and led the circuit with 77 strikeouts. In 54 innings pitched, he posted a 4.33 ERA for Double-A Amarillo.
The Reno Aces (11-1, 46-41) secured their first six-game series sweep of the season against the Sacramento River Cats (3-8, 47-40) this past week in a split-series held at Sutter Health Park and Greater Nevada Field.
Yilber Diaz began the sweep after tying a franchise record 13 strikeouts in Monday's 7-0 shut-out win. The exciting prospect was lights out, tossing six no-hit innings with two walks en route to his first win as a Reno Ace. Adrian Del Castillo, Andres Chaparro, Deyvison De Los Santos, and Pavin Smith smashed four-baggers to cover Reno's offensive production.
Chaparro stayed hot after a home run in the opener with a five-hit performance in Tuesday's 10-7 victory. The power hitter plated three runs and collected two doubles in the win. Smith capped off a 10-run night for Reno with his sixth big fly of the year. At this point, Reno had extended their winning streak to seven games.
A sparkling performance by Logan Allen, who tossed six shut-out frames with just one hit, one walk, and a season-high six strikeouts, highlighted Wednesday's 7-1 victory. River Cats starter Blake Snell put the offensive to sleep through the first five innings. However, when Cley Helvey came in to replace Snell, Reno awoke for seven runs behind a handful of two RBI knocks from De Los Santos, Tristin English, and Bryson Brigman. The win gave the BLC-Nine their eighth straight win and tied a franchise record in consecutive victories.
Reno returned to Greater Nevada Field on Thursday to host Patriotic Weekend and finish the series vs. Sacramento. Thursday's Independence Day walk-off victory was one to remember. Chaparro ended the back-and-forth battle ended the back-and-forth battle, who capped off a five-RBI night with a clutch single to score Albert Almora and give the Aces their ninth straight win, a new franchise record.
The following night, Chaparro was relied upon again in a similar situation, tied game in the bottom of the ninth with runners in scoring position. The 25-year-old would come through on back-to-back nights, walking off the River Cats with an RBI single in a 4-3 win. He also tallied four hits, including an RBI double to put the Aces on the board. Tommy Henry recorded a quality start, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks with four punchouts.
Saturday's series finale concluded a remarkable Patriotic Weekend with the Ace's third straight walk-off win after Bryson Brigman scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 10th inning. However, the big hit came from none other than Andres Chaparro. Down 5-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Venezuelan smashed a three-run blast to put the BLC-Nine on top before the River Cats tied it in the ninth.
Chaparro's performance in this series was unforgettable; he went 15-for-24 (.625) with six extra-base hits, three home runs, and 15 RBI. He raised his average from .306 to .328 over the six-game stretch, good for third in the Pacific Coast League.
After a disappointing first half, the Aces bullpen completely flipped their season around since we reached the halfway point, holding the River Cats to a 3.25 ERA with 27 strikeouts and 10 walks across 27 2/3 innings.
Deyvison De Los Santos, the Diamondback's #14 overall prospect, will be heading to Arlington, Texas, during the All-Star break to represent the Diamondbacks in the SiriusXM MLB All-Stars Futures Game at Globe Life Park. The Futures Game is part of the All-Star festivities and will showcase all 30 MLB organizations' top prospects.
De Los Santos has been incredible this season while splitting time between Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno. During the year, the powerful infielder combined for a .349/.400/.689 slash line while leading Minor League Baseball in home runs (26), hits (101), and total bases (199) while placing second in RBI (76).
Before his advancement to Triple-A Reno, the 21-year-old was dominating the Texas League, leading in hits (55), AVG (.372), home runs (14), RBI (37), SLG (.696), OPS (1.122), and total bases (103). He earned his spot on the Aces roster after a monstrous month of May, where he smashed seven home runs, drove in 19 runs, and hit .365 before making his Aces debut on May 21.
The exciting Dominican continued to produce in Triple-A, taking the Pacific Coast League by storm, collecting 46 hits and 39 RBI in 141 at-bats (.326 batting average) while leading the league in home runs (12), extra-base hits (25), and total bases (96) in 36 games since his promotion. He most recently capped off a definitive June with a two-home run, eight-RBI performance, which included a 463-foot grand slam, in Sunday's series finale against the Oklahoma City Baseball Club.
This past offseason, De Los Santos was selected in the Rule-5 draft by the Cleveland Guardians but was offered back to the Diamondbacks after Cleveland couldn't find a spot on their 26-man roster for him. That was a mistake, as De Los Santos has been crushing minor-league pitching this season and has made a significant push for his promotion to the big-league club.
Tune into Peacock and SiriusXM on Saturday, July 13, at 1:10 p.m. PT to watch De Los Santos represent the Arizona Diamondbacks in the MLB Futures Game at Globe Life Park.
Audrey Jade Hope Sullenger was rushed to the hospital in May 2011 at just three days old. Although paramedics were able to restart her heart, she was declared brain dead after 48 hours. Her mother, Felicia Hill, decided to donate Audrey’s organs, which saved two lives.
Audrey’s cause of death remains unknown, and Hill believes her daughter was born to save lives. Her heart saved the life of then 3-week-old Addison McArthur, and her kidneys saved 38-year-old Hydee Efondo Lim.
“When I was approached by Donor Network West to see if I was willing to donate Audrey’s organs, it was an immediate yes––I knew the good that could come out of it,” said Hill. “We’re continuing to educate people on what Audrey was able to do with her tiny life 13 years later. It brings so much peace and comfort knowing that her life wasn’t lost for no reason.”
Hill and her two daughters, Olivia and Moriah, will honor Audrey by running the bases during the second inning at the Reno Aces’ Home Run for Life game, presented by Donor Network West, Friday, April 26, 2024, at Greater Nevada Field as the Reno Aces take on the Sugar Land Cowboys.
As a longtime Donor Network West ambassador, Hill uses her platform to destigmatize organ donation by sharing her daughter’s story and legacy.
One donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and heal up to 75 lives through tissue donation.
Donor Network West, northern Nevada’s only federally designated nonprofit organ procurement organization, is proud to support Home Run for Life baseball games during the Reno Aces’ 2024 season. Now in its third season, the partnership brings critical awareness about organ donation to the northern Nevada community, especially with nearly 700 Nevadans on the national waiting list hoping to receive life-saving organs.
“Audrey has deeply impacted the northern Nevada community through her legacy,” said Janice Whaley, president and CEO of Donor Network West. “It is an honor to recognize her and the decision her family made to give the gift of life to others. Donor Network West is proud to partner with the Reno Aces to commemorate northern Nevada’s donors and donor families.”
Six times per season, the Home Run for Life game series honors a northern Nevada community member who has either received a life-saving transplant, lost a loved one who gave the gift of life through organ donation or helped provide support and healing to those impacted by organ, eye and tissue donation.