RENO, Nev. – Offense was among the top highlights for the Reno Aces in their most recent series with their Silver State rival, the Las Vegas Aviators, setting a number of franchise records while nearly earning a series split.
Four multi-run frames, including three-run innings in both the first and second, helped the Aces cruise to a comfortable 15-7 win over the Aviators in their series opener on June 2.
A Tim Tawa double and LuJames Groover walk preceded a big blast in the first by Tyler Locklear, as one swing of the bat gave Reno the early lead with a three-run blast out to center field. That was the first of two hits for Locklear, a theme that would last through the week, while also totaling four RBI. Groover finished with three hits and reached in five of six plate appearances thanks to a pair of walks.
The 15 runs scored are a new season high for Reno, and their most in a game since they dropped 15 tallies in a 15-2 win over Sacramento on Aug. 29, 2025. Those 15 runs were largely due to the eight doubles that Reno recorded in the contest, easily their new season high and the seventh time in team history they have reached that mark.
Making his Triple-A debut was right-hander Jose Cabrera (1-0), and it was one to remember as he punched out six hitters without issuing a free pass. Though he allowed four runs on six hits in his five innings of work, the offense was strong enough to earn him the win in his debut.
Unfortunately for Isaiah Campbell, he saw a streak come to an end as he went 20 appearances to start the season without allowing a home run until the Stefanic blast in the sixth.
Though it was Las Vegas that scored first on June 3, Reno rallied for three runs in the fourth frame and eventually secured a 4-2 win on the road in game two.
The Aces took starter Kohl Drake off the hook for the loss with that fourth inning, using three consecutive singles to load the bases before Angel Ortiz doubled home two with a liner to center field. Kristian Robinson chipped in a sacrifice fly for the Aces to finally take the lead before the third came to a close, then he added another in the away half of the sixth to double the Reno advantage to 4-2.
Reno’s bullpen was nails throughout the game, combining to toss the last five frames while allowing only four hits and striking out five. Additionally, the Aces’ pitching staff held the Aviators to a 0-for-10 mark when batting with runners in scoring position.
A pinch-hit home run from Tim Tawa in the top of the eighth brought the Aces within one on June 4, but they could get no closer as the Aviators outlasted Reno in game three by a 5-4 final.
Christian Cerda also homered in the contest, launching his fourth of the season in two-run fashion during the second inning to take the game’s first lead. Both homers in the contest were preceded by triples, as Luis Urías did it in front of Tawa during the eighth while Kristian Robinson logged his prior to Cerda.
That home run from Tawa was the 37th pinch-hit homer in Reno history, the first since Luken Baker did it just days ago on May 29 at home against Reno. Even more clutch, it was the 21st pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning or later in Aces history, and the first since Aramis Garcia on May 9, 2025.
Down to their final strike on June 5, Tawa played the hero for the Aces and delivered a game-tying hit that forced extra innings. However, Reno’s struggles in extra frames returned as Las Vegas walked-off winners by a final of 11-10.
Reno had taken the lead in the top of the 10th on a double from Urías, his fourth of the game which tied a franchise record and joined Andrés Chaparro (2024) and Andy Weber (2025) as the only Aces to achieve the feat. However, a bases loaded double dropped the Aces to 2-5 in extra-innings games in 2026.
The Aces had taken the game’s lead just two batters in on a Tawa 421-foot blast, his second home run in as many at-bats. Additionally, Reno saw one of the most exciting plays in baseball during the seventh when Andrew Velazquez hit a sinking liner that rolled past all outfielders to the fence, allowing Velazquez to race around the bases for an inside-the-park home run.
Urías’ four doubles led all Aces in hits, while Velazquez chipped in another three knocks and scored twice.
For the second night in a row and fourth time in the past six games the Aces reached double-digit runs, but even a five-run first inning could not keep up with the Aviators in a 21-10 defeat on June 6.
Reno started the game with a five-spot in their opening set of at-bats, which included a bases loaded walk, an Andrew Velazquez three-run triple, and an Anderdson Rojas RBI single. That lead was the only one Reno would hold in the contest, as the Aviators scored 19 straight runs.
There was a bit of franchise history in that game as Locklear notched his ninth consecutive multi-hit game which became the new longest streak in franchise history. The previous long for consecutive multi-hit games was eight, which had happened four times with the last by Cooper Hummel in 2021.
Tawa also had a big night at the dish as he was 4-for-6 with two runs scored, two doubles, a homer, and two RBI. Also logging four hits was Velazquez, who ended 4-for-5 and was a home run shy of the cycle while logging two runs scored.
This was easily a new season high for runs allowed and marked just the fourth time in franchise history that the Aces have allowed 21 runs or more in the same game. The last time they did so was Aug. 28, 2025 when the Sacramento River Cats also scored 21 in a 21-7 defeat of the Aces in Reno. However, it fell just one shy of matching the franchise record for runs allowed in a game.
A two-RBI double by Christian Cerda in the top of the fifth brought Reno within one of Las Vegas in their series finale, but the Aviators added an insurance tally and handed the Aces a series loss behind a 4-2 final on June 7.
It was not until the fifth inning when Reno recorded their first hit, as each of the first 12 batters were retired in order. Singles from Tyler Locklear and Jose Fernandez started the frame, but then quickly two were retired. Delivering in the clutch was Cerda, ripping another double after two in last night’s contest to bring both runners home.
Unfortunately for the Aces, they did not have another hit after that fifth inning until the top of the ninth with two outs when Locklear logged his second hit of the game in his fourth trip. That extended his multi-hit game streak to 10 consecutive games, which took sole possession of first place for the longest such streak in all professional baseball.
This was the final series of the season between the Aces and the Aviators, with Las Vegas winning each of the three series by 4-2 margins. This marked the first time since the 2019 season that Reno has lost the season series to the Aviators, as Reno went 74-47 against Las Vegas from 2021-2025 (2020 season cancelled).
There were seven different Aces that hit above the .300 mark and an eye-popping five above the .400 line, but only one eclipsed .500 as Velazquez hit .526 (10-for-19) with six runs scored, two doubles, one triple, one homer, six RBI and one walk. However, Tawa was arguably more impressive with his production, logging a hit in all six games played and batting .476 (10-for-21) with eight runs scored, four doubles, three homers, seven RBI, three walks and a 1.637 OPS.
Reno now heads back to friendly confines as they prepare for a six-game series against the Salt Lake Bees, Salt Lake’s second trip to Reno in 2026, beginning on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. PT from Greater Nevada Field.