Reno wrapped up a 4-5 road trip on Sunday with a brutal 13-6 loss at Tacoma. The lopsided defeat leaves the Aces a whopping 12.5 games back of Fresno, which has won eight straight, with 29 to play.
There is no wildcard playoff berth in Triple-A so the Aces need to get red hot over the last month, get some help from Fresno and will have to do it without one of their best players, Jamie Romak, who was promoted to Arizona over the weekend.
The pressure to provide pop in the middle of the lineup now rests almost solely on outfielder Peter O’Brien’s shoulders. O’Brien responded in his first game with Romak out of the lineup on Saturday with a 3-for-3 day along with three RBIs and two runs scored. Sunday didn’t go as well. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout.
Salt Lake City comes to town tonight for a quick four-game series before Reno hops back on the road for an eight-game road trip—four at Colorado Springs and four at Oklahoma City.
Last week: 2-4
Overall: 55-60
At Home: 31-24
On the Road: 34-36
Weekly schedule (Aug. 11-Aug. 17)
Aug. 11: HOME vs. Salt Lake City, 7:05 p.m.
*Two-for-$22 Tuesday
Aug. 12: HOME vs. Salt Lake City, 7:05 p.m.
*Seniors Eat Free
Aug. 13: HOME vs. Salt Lake City, 7:05 p.m.
*Coors Light Thirsty Thursday
Aug. 14: HOME vs. Salt Lake City, 7:05 p.m.
*Saint Mary’s Fireworks Friday
Aug. 15: AWAY @ Colorado Springs, 5:05 p.m.
Aug. 16: AWAY @ Colorado Springs, 4:05 p.m.
Aug. 17: AWAY @ Colorado Springs, 4:05 p.m.
Notable moves
-Infielder Jamie Romak was called up by the Diamondbacks. Romak, 29, has been one of the best offensive players in the Pacific Coast League this summer, hitting .289 with 22 home runs and 87 RBIs.
-Left-handed relief pitcher Keith Hessler was also called up to Arizona. Hessler was 0-1 with a 5.27 ERA over 13 2/3 innings of work for the Aces. He struck out 10 batters compared with just four walks.
-Right-handed pitcher Evan Marshall was placed on the seven-day disabled list, retroactive to Aug. 5. Marshall is 3-2 with a 6.40 ERA in 32 1/3 innings of work out of Reno’s bullpen. His roster spot was filled by right-handed pitcher Seth Simmons, who was brought up from Double-A Mobile. Simmons is 2-2 with a 3.96 ERA for the Aces this summer.
Who’s hot?
Jhoulys Chacin’s pitching shoulder. Chacin threw 128 pitches (70 for strikes) in Saturday’s 6-3 win at Tacoma. That set the record for most pitches thrown in Aces history. Chacin allowed three runs on six hits over 7 2/3 innings. The high pitch count was a product of six free passes compared with five strikeouts.
Who’s not?
Reno’s Sunday pitching. Apparently the Aces’ arms don’t like throwing on the last day of the weekend. For the second Sunday out of the last three weeks, Reno allowed 13 or more runs. Reno fell to Tacoma 13-6 on Sunday and fell 15-9 at home to Las Vegas on the last Sunday of June
Pacific Coast League Standings
Pacific Northern
Fresno Grizzlies (HOU) 67-47
Tacoma Rainiers (SEA) 56-60
Reno Aces (ARI) 55-60
Sacramento River Cats (SF) 52-63
Pacific Southern
Las Vegas 51s (NYM) 65-51
El Paso Chihuahuas (SD) 59-56
Albuquerque Isotopes (COL) 51-65
Salt Lake Bees (LAA) 46-70
American Northern
Oklahoma City Dodgers (LAD) 68-47
Iowa Cubs (CHC) 64-51
Omaha Storm Chasers (KC) 63-53
Colorado Springs Sky Sox (MIL) 47-66
American Southern
Round Rock Express (TEX) 65-49
Memphis Redbirds (STL) 61-55
Nashville Sounds (OAK) 52-64
New Orleans Zephyrs (MIA) 51-65
*All statistics and records are through Sunday, Aug. 9