Bats remain hot as Reno owns second most wins in PCL
Three weeks into May the Aces are tied for the most wins in the Pacific Coast League.
Following another 5-2 week, Reno sits at 27 victories which matches Tacoma and is one shy of PCL-leading Memphis. The Rainiers still own a half-game lead over Aces, however, with one fewer loss.
Reno’s offense continues to be the most potent in the PCL. It’s tops in team batting average (.310) – Salt Lake is second at .286, runs (308) – Salt Lake has 253, and RBIs (288). It’s 50 home runs are second to Nashville (56).
The pitching staff hasn’t torn apart the PCL, but it hasn’t had to with the offense routinely obliterating baseballs. The staff ERA (4.48) ranks ninth out of 16 teams. Still, the bullpen has quietly been stellar without sexy numbers. Reno is 19-1 when leading after six.
Reno exhausts its eight-game road trip on Friday at Iowa then reunites with Greater Nevada Field, where it is 16-8 this year, on Saturday night to start an eight-game homestand that ends with the first four games of the year against Las Vegas.
Last week: 5-2
Overall: 27-17
Home: 16-8
Away: 11-9
Upcoming Schedule (May 22-28)
May 22: Away at Omaha 4:35 p.m.
May 23: AWAY at Iowa 4:38 p.m.
May 24: AWAY at Iowa 10:08 a.m.
May 25: AWAY at Iowa 4:38 p.m.
May 26: AWAY at Iowa 5:08 p.m.
May 27: HOME vs Sacramento 7:05 p.m.
May 28: HOME vs Sacramento 6:05 p.m.
Notable Moves
-C Willians Austidillo, 25, was promoted from Extended Spring to Reno. Austidillo played 12 games with the Aces earlier this season and went 8-for-34 (.235) with three doubles and three RBIs. In 536 career minor league games (he’s yet to make his major league debut), he’s batted .307 and only struck out 64 times in 1,893 at bats. That’s a pace of one strike out nearly every 30 at bats.
-RHP Ivan Pineyro, 25, was demoted from Reno to Double-A Jackson. Pineyro only appeared in two games with the Aces, allowing one run on three hits over three innings. He struck out three and walked one. He is 2-0 with a 2.75 ERA over 16.2 innings with Jackson this year, but 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA over 16 innings with Single-A Visalia.
-RHP Trevor Simms, 25, was demoted to Double-A Jackson one day after getting promoted to Reno from Extended Spring. He is yet to make his first appearance at the Triple-A level. Last year’s 32nd round pick out of Tulane went four innings out the bullpen for Jackson on Thursday and picked up the win in an 11-6 victory at Montgomery. He allowed two runs on four hits while walking four and fanning four.
Who’s hot?
Braden Shipley. Arizona’s first-round pick in 2013 out of Nevada threw a seven-inning complete game in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader at Omaha. He picked up the win in the lopsided 14-3 decision. Shipley allowed three runs on six hits and two walks. He struck out four. Shipley is now 5-1 this season in Reno with a 3.42 ERA over a team-high 50 innings. A secret to his dominance has been pitching during day games. Opponents are batting .197 off Shipley during the day, opposed to .303 at night. Reno is 6-2 in games he’s started.
Who’s not?
The bats (relatively). Reno attempted to match a season-high four-game winning streak in the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader at Omaha and got blanked 6-0. It was the first time this season the Aces’ high-powered offense failed to push a single run across. The game was also two innings shorter due to the double dip.
Pacific Coast League Standings
Pacific Northern
Tacoma Rainiers (SEA) 27-16
Reno Aces (ARI) 27-17
Fresno Grizzlies (HOU) 18-27
Sacramento River Cats (SF) 16-26
Pacific Southern
Salt Lake Bees (LAA) 25-19
Albuquerque Isotopes (COL) 23-21
El Paso Chihuahuas (SD) 20-25
Las Vegas 51s (NYM) 19-25
American Northern
Colorado Springs Sky Sox (MIL) 25-15
Oklahoma City Dodgers (LAD) 24-18
Omaha Storm Chasers (KC) 21-21
Iowa Cubs (CHC) 20-23
American Southern
Memphis Redbirds (STL) 28-17
Nashville Sounds (OAK) 20-20
Round Rock Express (TEX) 18-26
New Orleans Baby Cakes (MIA) 14-29
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