Aces drop home series but don’t drop in standings, sit one back of Grizzlies
The bad news: Reno dropped another home series on Sunday (to Nashville) and is now 6-10 at Greater Nevada Field since the all-star break.
The good news: Omaha and Iowa collectively poured cool water on a red-hot Fresno team last week, taking five of eight from the Grizzlies on their eight-game road trip and kept Reno within one game of the division lead.
Reno’s schedule was borderline tortuous to start the second half of the season and will now ease up for the final 28 games of 2017. Twelve of the final 28 contests will be against last-place teams Las Vegas and Sacramento.
The Aces will play four at Las Vegas this week followed with four at Tacoma then arrive back to Greater Nevada Field for the biggest homestand of the season. Reno will close the season series with Sacramento then play four pivotal games with Fresno Aug. 19-22.
Last week: 2-4
Overall: 65-49
Home: 35-24
Away: 30-25
Upcoming Schedule (August 7-13)
August 7: AWAY at Las Vegas 7:05 p.m.
August 8: AWAY at Las Vegas 7:05 p.m.
August 9: AWAY at Las Vegas 7:05 p.m.
August 10: AWAY at Las Vegas 7:05 p.m.
August 11: AWAY at Tacoma 7:05 p.m.
August 12: AWAY at Tacoma 7:05 p.m.
August 13: AWAY at Tacoma 1:35 p.m.
Notable Moves
-RHP Silvino Bracho, 25, was optioned back to Reno. Bracho has grown familiar with the Reno and Phoenix airports this summer. The 2011 free agent signee has been up with the big club and back with Reno six times this season. In Reno, Bracho is 3-2 with a 4.03 ERA in 29 innings. He is 5-for-7 in save opportunities. With Arizona, he’s yet to pick up a decision with a 5.23 ERA over 10.1 innings. He’s struck out 11 batters compared with only three walks and he’s holding opponents to a .200 batting average.
-RHP Louis Coleman, 31, was released. It was a tough break for Coleman, who was about as good as he could be in 15 games with the Aces. A fifth-round draft pick by the Royals in 2009, Coleman allowed just two earned runs in 16.1 innings (1.10 ERA) with 19 strikeouts and five walks. Opponents were hitting just .140 off him. The numbers weren’t a fluke. Coleman has been solid throughout his nine-year professional career. He’s worked 225.1 innings in the Major Leagues and has an 8-5 record with a 3.51 ERA. He’s struck out more than twice as many batters (231) than he’s walked (102). In the minors, he’s 26-13 with a 2.17 ERA over 347.2 innings. He wasn’t gone long, though. The ream re-signed him on Monday.
-LHP Anthony Banda, 23, was called up to Arizona to make his second big league start on Friday at San Francisco. The Diamondbacks’ No. 4 prospect answered with his first career win in the Major Leagues, outdueling Madison Bumgarner in a 2-1 ballgame. He went six innings, allowing just one run on three hits with seven strikeouts and four walks. Banda is now 1-1 in his two starts with Arizona and has surrendered five runs on 10 hits over 11.2 innings.
-SS Jack Reinheimer, 25, was called up to the Major Leagues for the first time. Reinheimer filled the roster spot of Ketel Marte, who went on the Bereavement List last Monday following the sudden death of his mother. Reinheimer got the nod over fellow middle infielder Ildemaro Vargas, who was activated off the disabled list on Monday. Vargas earned his first call-up earlier this summer. Reinheimer appeared in two games in Chicago against the defending World Series champs, earning a start in last Wednesday’s 3-0 win. He went hitless in five at bats over the two games and was sent back to Reno on Friday.
Who’s hot?
Christian Walker. The Aces’ first baseman became the the first player in professional baseball to reach 100 RBIs this season with a run-scoring single in the third inning of Friday’s 8-5 loss to Nashville at Greater Nevada Field. When he reached triple digits, nobody else in Triple-A baseball had more than 82 runs driven in. The Rockies’ Nolan Arenado led the big leagues with 97 after Friday night.
Who’s not?
Sumo wrestling. Odd in-between inning promotions/entertainment options can be found at every minor league ballpark in America. Greater Nevada Field is no different. Early in Thursday night’s contest, a couple jogged onto the field donning inflated sumo wrestler outfits and went to battle over a coupon. The game between Reno and Nashville only resumed after a 20-minute delay and stretchered departure. We may have seen the last of the sumos at Greater Nevada Field.
Pacific Coast League Standings
Pacific Northern
Fresno Grizzlies (HOU) 66-48
Reno Aces (ARI) 65-49
Tacoma Rainiers (SEA) 56-58
Sacramento River Cats (SF) 48-65
Pacific Southern
Salt Lake Bees (LAA) 58-56
Albuquerque Isotopes (COL) 57-57
El Paso Chihuahuas (SD) 54-60
Las Vegas 51s (NYM) 43-71
American Northern
Colorado Springs Sky Sox (MIL) 68-43
Oklahoma City Dodgers (LAD) 60-52
Iowa Cubs (CHC) 53-58
Omaha Storm Chasers (KC) 53-59
American Southern
Memphis Redbirds (STL) 74-39
Nashville Sounds (OAK) 54-59
Round Rock Express (TEX) 53-61
New Orleans Baby Cakes (MIA) 43-70
*All stats and standings are as of Sunday, August 6.
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